Annona cherimola

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola)
Scientific name	Annona cherimola
Common names	Cherimoya, cherimoyer, chirimoya
Genus	Annona
Family	Annonaceae
Order	Magnoliales
Native range	Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru[1]
Growth form	Low-branched, briefly deciduous or semi-deciduous tree[2]
Climate and site	Mild subtropical or highland tropical; good drainage and protection from strong winds[2]
Mature height	Commonly about 3 to 10 m[3]
Soil	Sandy loam or decomposed granite with good drainage; pH 5 to 8 is given for the Ventura production region[2]
Propagation	Seed propagation is documented; cuttings are difficult[2][3]
Pollination	Protogynous flowers; hand pollination is often used for reliable set[2]
Harvest	Fruit commonly ripens 5 to 8 months after pollination and continues to soften after picking[2][4]

Annona cherimola is the cherimoya, a low-branched Andean fruit tree grown for its fragrant flowers and soft, sweet fruit. Its highland climate, seasonal leaf loss, and protogynous flowers distinguish it from hotter-climate annonas such as sugar apple.^[1][2]

Description

Annona cherimola leaf. Photo by Willow Coville, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The tree is erect but often low-branched, somewhat shrubby, or spreading, with rusty-hairy young branchlets. It commonly reaches about 3 to 10 m. Leaves are alternate, and the fragrant flowers occur singly or in small groups. The species is briefly deciduous or semi-deciduous in some production climates.^[2][3]

Distribution and habitat

Wild cherimoya plants in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Photo by Marcelo RosaMelo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Annona cherimola is native to Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It is associated with inter-Andean valleys and other highland sites rather than hot, wet lowlands. Ventura County production guidance places cherimoya in a high-elevation tropical setting with a seasonal growth rhythm.^[1][2]

Cultivation

Soil and water

Use a well-drained medium such as sandy loam or decomposed granite. Ventura County guidance gives a pH range of 5 to 8 for its production region and emphasizes drainage. In cultivation, water young trees during establishment while allowing the root zone to drain between irrigations rather than keeping it saturated.^[2]

Sun and humidity

Provide bright exposure with shelter from strong winds. Air movement is useful where humidity remains high, while hot, drying conditions during bloom can reduce reliable fruit set. Highland conditions are cooler than a hot lowland tropical climate, so warm sites need especially careful attention to airflow and root-zone drainage.^[2]

Seasonal changes

Cherimoya may shed its leaves during a seasonal transition, with flowering following the vegetative cycle. Flowering dates vary among regions and climates. Adjust irrigation to the local wet and dry or cool and warm rhythm rather than treating the tree as continuously growing, and protect young trees from frost.^[2]

Propagation

Propagation by seed is documented for the species. Cuttings are difficult, so a cutting that fails to root should not be treated as evidence that the seed-propagation route is unsuitable.^[2][3]

Flowering, fruiting, and harvest

Cherimoya flowers are protogynous: the stigmas become receptive before the anthers release usable pollen. This timing makes hand pollination important in many orchards. Fruit commonly takes about 5 to 8 months to ripen after pollination, with timing affected by cultivar, latitude, temperature, and site.^[2]

Harvest fruit when it is full-grown and still firm. Cherimoya is climacteric and continues to soften after picking; room-temperature ripening takes about 6 to 7 days. Handle ripe fruit carefully because bruising and browning develop quickly.^[2][4]

Fruit and uses

Ripe cherimoya flesh is usually eaten fresh with a spoon. It is also used in sherbet, ice cream, fruit salads, and beverages. The hard seeds should be removed and discarded; the seeds and other plant parts are not treated as food because poisonous alkaloids have been reported in them.^[2][3]

Photos

References

• ↑ [1] Plants of the World Online: Annona cherimola, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

• ↑ [2] Cherimoya, University of California Cooperative Extension Ventura County.

• ↑ [3] Useful Tropical Plants: Annona cherimola.

• ↑ [4] Arpaia, M. L. Maintaining Postharvest Quality of Cherimoya, CCA Cherimoya Handbook, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Image credits

• Summary fruit: Hannes Grobe, CC BY-SA 2.5.
• Leaf: Willow Coville, CC BY-SA 4.0.
• Wild habitat: Marcelo RosaMelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
• Flower buds: Marcelo RosaMelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.