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cherimoya

Annona cherimola Mill.

Family: Annonaceae · Genus: Annona

custard apple

Secondary I Medium No biomass production
Areyes97 · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

Andean native (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia). Small tree (5–8 m), deciduous leaves. Light-green reticulated fruit with creamy white flesh of delicate flavor — described by Mark Twain as 'the most delicious fruit known to men'. Little cultivated in Brazil — restricted to mid-to-high altitudes (Serra da Mantiqueira, southern Minas, southern São Paulo) with mild climate.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary I
Ecological role
Early secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
5.5–7
Preferred soil texture
Loamy
Hardiness zones
9–11
Frost tolerance
-3.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
5–8 m
Recommended spacing
5–6 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
20–40 years
Time to first harvest
36 months
Productive lifespan
25 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Cherimoya takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary I 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 Medium · ≈8 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Spacing 5×5 m to 6×6 m. Manual pollination dramatically improves fruit set. Tolerates mild cold but not hard frost.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October, November

Fruiting months: March, April, May, June

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of cherimoya?

The first harvest of cherimoya comes around 36 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for cherimoya?

The recommended spacing for cherimoya is 5–6 m.

How tall does cherimoya grow?

At maturity, cherimoya reaches 5–8 m tall.

When does cherimoya fruit?

Fruiting of cherimoya occurs in March, April, May, June.

When does cherimoya flower?

Flowering of cherimoya occurs in September, October, November.

What stage and stratum does cherimoya occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, cherimoya belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit

Propagation

Seed, Grafting

Citations

  1. Reflora — Flora e Funga do Brasil: Annona cherimola (biomes)
  2. GBIF — Annona cherimola Mill. (external_ids)
  3. Wikidata — Annona cherimola (Q158986) (external_ids)

External references

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