Annona cherimola

Commercially grown in Australia, South America, Asia, Spain, Italy, and California. The cherimoya is often considered one of the best-tasting fruits in the world. Its rich and creamy pulp with a sweet fruity flavor, makes an excellent dessert fruit. Almost exclusively eaten fresh, out of hand. The pulp does not store well and the fruit is only available fresh. Seeds are toxic and when crushed can be used as an insecticide. This plant is subtropical and when full-grown can survive to 25F. Young trees are susceptible to frost. Cherimoya prefers a summer temperature of 65-80F, and a winter temperature of 41-65F. Trees are fast-growing, producing fruit from seed in 3-4 years. Flowers are formed in small groups along the branches. A single flower first opens as female, which lasts for 36 hours, followed by a male stage, lasting for another 36 hours. Flowers are almost never pollinated by their own pollen, and without proper pollinators which do not exist outside its native range, cherimoya must be hand pollinated. Tree blooms from late winter to early summer, followed by fruit which ripen from October to May. Fruits are large, from 4-8" long, and sometimes weighing over 5 pounds. Harvest fruits when skin turns slightly yellow or pale green, or when skin gives a little to touch.

Annona cherimola x Annona squamosa

Atemoyas are small-to-medium-size trees growing to about twenty-five to thirty feet at maturity with about the same spread. Flowers are produced along with new growth in the spring following a winter dormancy period, and the fruit usually begin maturing in late August through the end of October. Atemoyas look very similar in some cases to sugar apples, except they have a smoother skin and the individual segments aren't quite as obvious. Most atemoyas have fewer seeds, too, than sugar apples, which makes them a lot easier to eat as a fresh fruit. Read more about this fruit tree.

Annona diversifolia

It is a rare Anonna. Large fruit, sometimes over 6" long, having similarities in both shape and size to the Annona cherimola. The rind tends to be either green or pink-purple, with white or pinkish flesh respectively. Some varieties have deep red flesh. Flavor is said to be excellent in many varieties, rivaling that of the cherimoya and sugar apple. Ilama is the most cold sensitive of all the Annona. Typically fruits mature from July to December. The fruit is almost always eaten raw, out of hand. It grows best in climates having a dry season, followed by heavy rainfall. Ilama fruits perish within days of harvest and the fruit transports very poorly, hence its relative obscurity to much of the world.

Annona glabra

Pond apple (Annona glabra) native to swamplands of the southeastern United States. Although not as tasty as its tropical relatives (usually eaten raw, but sometimes made into jellies and wine), pond apple provides an important food source for wildlife of this region. Pond apple's can stand immense flooding and spend weeks at a time with their roots under water. The pond apple is very useful as a rootstock for other Annona species.

Annona haitiensis

Annona hayesii

Annona hypoglauca

Even though it is widely distributed in the Amazonia lowland rainforests between Colombia and Bolivia, Annona hypoglauca is a very rare species, especially in cultivation.

Annona maritima, Rollinia maritima

This subtropical shrub or small tree, bears a close resemblance to other annonas. The fruit is the size of an apple with sweet pulp, melting like ice cream. Propagated by seed.

Annona montana

Mountain Soursop, Wild Custard Apple, Guanabana de monte, Wild Soursop. The fruit resembles Soursop but with less sugar and has distinctive pineapple flavor.

The tree is small, evergreen, growing up to 20' tall. It has glossy dark green leaves and the fruit is spherical with a yellowish skin; it is covered with prickles. The aromatic orange pulp contains light brown to orange seeds.

The tree is pretty cold hardy, as hardy as Annona glabra (Pond Apple) and can take some light frost. Seedlings are good root stock for grafted Soursop.

Annona muricata

Season: All year, best during warm months. Origin: Tropical America. One of the most delicious annona. Fruit is sweet with slight sour addition, flavor is the best. Sweet and tart custard-like pulp. Extremely cold sensitive, minimum temperature 50F. Makes a superb milkshake, but can be eaten fresh as well. The tree is medium sized, very fast growing. Can be kept in a pot. We have very interesting article about growing and fruiting Soursop in apartment. Check out Tropical Treasures Magazine # 7.