Annona cherimola leaves are attractive, single and alternate, 5 to 18cm long and up to 10cm wide. They are dark green on top and smooth green on the underside, with obvious veins. New growth is curving, like a fiddle-neck. Flowers are perfumed, borne solitary or in groups of 2 or 3 on short hairy stalks along the branches. They appear with new growth and go on as new growth carries on and on old wood until midsummer.

Flowers are composed of three fleshy, greenish-brown, oblong external petals and three smaller, pinkish internal petals. They last roughly two days, and open in two stages, first as female for around 36 hours and later as male flowers. Cherimoya flowers are unlikely to be pollinated by its own pollen in the male stage. Wherever natural pollinators are not present the flowers must be pollinated by hand.

The compound Cherimoya fruit, is cone-shaped, unusual, just about pre-historic appearance, 5 to 10cm long and up to 10cm wide, with spirally formatted carpels, resembling something like a giant raspberry. The fruit is weighing anywhere from 150 to 500grams, but now and again large fruits may reach a weight of more than 2 kg. The thickness of skin varies and it could be smooth or covered with cone-shaped or rounded bumps.

The sweet, juicy, white flesh is melting, delicious, custard blend like with banana, pineapple and strawberry notes; an elegant and sophisticated flavor. Each section of flesh borders a single hard black bean-like seed.

Annona cherimola favours a sunny exposure and cool nights. Will do well on a wide range of soil types from light to heavy, but do best on a well-drained, medium soil of modest fertility and a pH range of 6.5 to 7.6. It needs good deal of moisture while growing actively, but should not be watered when dormant.

Tree propagation is by seed and seedlings are universally employed as rootstocks. In frost-free regions, it is advisable that Annona cherimola seedlings for spring grafting be sown in their eventual location in the fall and grafted in the ground the following spring. Seeds stay on viable for two to three years if kept dry. Annona cherimola is a member of the family Annonaceae the genus Annona.

Cherimoya, Annona cherimola

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Cherimoya | Custard Apple – annona cherimola is a post from: Fruit and Nut Trees