Annona Species, Cherimoya, Custard Apple

Annona cherimola

Genus
Annona (uh-NO-nuh)
Synonym
Annona tripetala
Annona pubescens
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Foliage
Deciduous
Succulent
Height
15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m)
Spacing
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Danger
Seed is poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color
Pale Yellow
Pale Green
Bloom Time
Late Spring/Early Summer
Other Details
Category
Edible Fruits and Nuts
Trees
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; stratify if sowing indoors
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Scarify seed before sowing
By grafting
Seed Collecting
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Cerritos, California

Fallbrook, California(5 reports)

Glen Avon, California

Granada Hills, California

Hayward, California

Manhattan Beach, California

Merced, California

Monterey, California

Pedley, California

Rubidoux, California

San Diego, California(2 reports)

Santee, California

Sunnyslope, California

Upland, California

Vallejo, California

Bartow, Florida

Bradley, Florida

Brandon, Florida

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Rockledge, Florida

Honomu, Hawaii

Florence, Oregon(2 reports)

Austin, Texas

Houston, Texas

show all

Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

14
positives
2
neutrals
0
negative
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N
| July 2015 | positive

I have a mature tree growing in mediterranian climate. It bears about 30 fruits per year. Seedling grow very vigorously, especially it th...Read More

C
ROSLINDALE, MA | January 2015 | neutral

The great nineteenth-century scientist and traveller Humboldt is said to have declared that a taste of this fruit was worth a trip across...Read More

A
Gig Harbor, WA | March 2012 | positive

I hate to create competition for these Heavenly fruits, but on the other hand I'd love to increase demand. Most of the grocers in the US...Read More

M
Cerritos, CA | August 2010 | positive

this fruit is extremely delicious, l have a three or four year old tree in a large pot. this year l hand pollinated june and july, and no...Read More

S
Granada Hills, CA | February 2010 | positive

I get to eat the most delicious fruit ever once in a while when I buy it from the store. I have had two trees for the last 4 years and ha...Read More

D
Carrboro, NC | January 2010 | positive

Very, very delicious fruit.

I don't have a mature plant yet.

However, I managed to have a rather quick ge...Read More

J
Fort Lauderdale, FL | August 2008 | positive

I have had many of my spanish neighbors rave about the fruit of this tree and have heard it called everything from "ice cream tree" to "S...Read More

D
Austin, TX | August 2006 | positive

We got a box of this fruit from California (about $6 for per large fruit). Very tasty. Sweet and creemy.

My babrsitter som...Read More

O
San Diego, CA (Zone 9b) | August 2006 | positive

The fruit is quite a treat, the foliage is beautiful. My sunset zone is 23/24.
This last heat wave I saw temperatures of...Read More

B
Hayward, CA | November 2005 | positive

Not a heat loving tropical but a subtropical from the mid Andes. They do fine in coastal California placed in full sun or light shade.Pro...Read More

A
Fallbrook, CA | April 2005 | positive

I have nearly 100 cherimoya trees and pick and ship 4 to 7000 pounds each season and ship across the U.S. We do hand polinate from late J...Read More

D
Bartow, FL | April 2005 | positive

This is also a favorite fruit of mine, but not one easy to get in Florida. I am one of those growing it and hoping to find a seedling th...Read More

V
Barnesville, GA (Zone 8a) | April 2005 | neutral

Wow, how nice to know this grows in the U.S.! I had sampled this lucious fruit while in southern Spain. Would love to have it again. I un...Read More

F
Honomu, HI (Zone 11) | May 2004 | positive

I agree with Walter T on both the mango and cherimoya being the best fruits in the universe!

I grew up in Cuba where we ...Read More

W
San Diego, CA (Zone 10a) | May 2004 | positive

IMHO the Cherimoya and the Mango are THE most delicious fruits on the planet when truly ripe. Both grow readily in frost free areas of S....Read More

U
U
Manhattan Beach, CA (Zone 11) | June 2003 | positive

Pollination has to be done by hand at a specific time to produce fruit.

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