Annona cherimola Mill.

Trees 3-7 m tall, deciduous. Branchlets tomentose, glabrescent. Axillary leaf buds ovoid, apex obtuse. Petiole 6-12 mm; leaf blade ovate, ovate-lanceolate, elliptic, obovate, or rarely orbicular, 5-25 × 2.5-10 cm, thinly papery, abaxially tomentose, adaxially pubescent, secondary veins 11-14 on each side of midvein and forming an angle from 60° to almost 90° with midvein, base rounded to obtuse and slightly decurrent onto petiole, apex obtuse to shortly acuminate. Inflorescences 1-3-flowered. Sepals ovate, 2-4 mm, outside tomentose, inside glabrous. Petals outside greenish yellow to reddish, inside yellowish to whitish and basally purple-spotted, linear-oblong, 1.5-3 cm, tomentose, apex obtuse; inner petals absent or reduced to minute scales. Stamens oblong, 1.2-1.7 mm. Syncarp mostly green, ovoid, cordate, conic, or rarely globose, to 20 × 15 cm, smooth or tuberculate but not furrowed between areoles; pulp white. Seeds blackish brown, turning paler when dry, obovoid, ca. 1 cm, slightly flattened, apex obliquely truncate. Fl. Mar-Jul, fr. Jun-Nov.

A tropical and subtropical plant. It suits the highland tropics. It grows at higher altitudes in the equatorial tropics. It can grow up to 2,000 m altitude in tropical areas. They suit places with cool nights. It is better suited to a dry climate but not desert. It is a subtropical or warm temperate plant. In Colombia it grows between 1,600-1,900 m above sea level. It can only tolerate light frosts. Young trees are very frost sensitive. They need 50 to 100 hours of mild chilling to remain productive. Trees do best in a sunny position. A pH of 6.5 to 7.6 is best. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.

Fruit can be eaten raw or used to make drinks. They can be used for ice cream, custards, cakes and pies.

Trees are usually grown from seeds but cuttings of ripe wood will root in sand. It can be grafted or budded. Seeds can only be stored for 2-3 days when fresh but can be stored for several years if kept dry. Seeds will then still grow or they can be planted fresh. Seeds are planted about 3 cm deep in fine soil. They will germinate in about 21-40 days. Seedlings are often transplanted into pots or plastics bags after 3-4 months then into nursery beds when one year old. They are easy to transplant and even trees 3 or 4 years old can be transplanted when the leaves have fallen off. It is best done while trees are still dormant. Fruit setting is often greatly improved by hand pollination. In some places natural pollinating agents do not occur. To hand pollinate take the pollen from male flowers and place it on the partly open female flowers. (Pollen can be stored overnight in a refrigerator if necessary.) Several trees should be planted near each other to allow them to pollinate. Young trees need support. For best growth they need adequate moisture during the growing season and good soil nutrition. Pruning during the dormancy period is done to allow strong branches for fruit bearing. For better kinds of trees it is necessary to use budding or grafting. Rootstocks of Annona reticulata or A. squamsoa can be used. Grafted trees fruit after about 6 years while seedling trees fruit after 11 years. Shield budding done at the beginning of the growing season is often used. Trees can be spaced 8 metres apart. They can be pruned to give a better shaped tree and this should be done when leaves have fallen. Fruit are carried on both current years growth but also more prolifically on mature wood. Several trees should be planted near each other for pollination. As the roots are very sensitive, fertiliser should not be used at transplanting. Cherimoya needs to be in areas with high humidity during the flowering period. Otherwise they suit areas that are cool and fairly dry. It is essentially a sub tropical fruit and grows in higher altitudes in equatorial regions. Temperatures should be above 14° to 15°C. Mature trees can stand light frosts. Good deep soils are best but clays that are well drained are suitable. Hand pollination of the flowers can give more even shaped fruit and also ensure more fruit are formed. To do this, flowers are gathered in a small brown paper bag and kept till the pollen falls. Then with a small brush the pollen is put on freshly open flowers. The three petals of the flower are gently held open and the pollen spread around on the female flower parts (pistils). As fruit ripen they develop a bloom on the skin and the carpels begin to separate. Fruit can be stored under refrigeration. The stalk should be cut from the tree and fruit need to be handled carefully.