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wild sweetsop

Annona cacans Warm.

Family: Annonaceae · Genus: Annona

araticum cagão

Secondary II High Mulch biomass
Denis Zabin · CC BY · iNaturalist

Native Atlantic Forest and Cerrado species, medium tree (8–15 m). Large fruits (up to 1.5 kg) with sweetish yellow flesh but a laxative effect (origin of the popular name). Corky bark. Important in secondary forest regeneration and as wildlife fruit.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary II
Ecological role
Early secondary
Primary stratum
High
Strata
High, Medium
Biomass class
Mulch biomass

Environment

Light requirement
Partial sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Moderate
Soil pH range
5–7
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey
Hardiness zones
10–12

Morphology

Mature height
8–15 m
Recommended spacing
6–8 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Deep
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
30–60 years
Time to first harvest
48 months
Productive lifespan
30 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Wild sweetsop takes the High stratum in the Secondary II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High · ≈15 m Medium Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Moderate-to-fast growing tree, typical of secondary forests and regrowth (pioneer/secondary). Height 8–15 m (up to 20–26 m on good soils), corky flaking trunk 50–70 cm in diameter. Seeds show morphological (embryo-differentiation) dormancy; germination takes 40–80 days and is helped by scarification (mechanical or ~1 min sulphuric acid) and moist-sand stratification. Fruit heavily sought by wildlife.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October, November

Fruiting months: February, March, April, May

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of wild sweetsop?

The first harvest of wild sweetsop comes around 48 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for wild sweetsop?

The recommended spacing for wild sweetsop is 6–8 m.

How tall does wild sweetsop grow?

At maturity, wild sweetsop reaches 8–15 m tall.

When does wild sweetsop fruit?

Fruiting of wild sweetsop occurs in February, March, April, May.

When does wild sweetsop flower?

Flowering of wild sweetsop occurs in September, October, November.

What stage and stratum does wild sweetsop occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, wild sweetsop belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the high stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🌿 Biomass producer

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Embrapa Florestas — Ariticum-cagão (Annona cacans) — Circular Técnica (height_min_m, height_max_m, phenology, propagation, cultivation_notes, growth_rate)
  2. Copaíba — Araticum-cagão (Annona cacans) (height_min_m, height_max_m, phenology, cultivation_notes)
  3. World Flora Online — Annona cacans Warm. (biomes, description)
  4. GBIF — Annona cacans Warm. (external_ids)
  5. Wikidata — Annona cacans (Q3292023) (external_ids)

External references

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