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Annona atemoya - Mabb.

Common Name Atemoya
Family Annonaceae
USDA hardiness 10-12
Known Hazards None known
Habitats A hybrid of garden origin, it is not known in the wild.
Range A garden hybrid, Annona cherimola x Annona squamosa.
Edibility Rating    (5 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Well drained soil Full sun
Annona atemoya Atemoya


Annona atemoya Atemoya

 

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Summary

Annona atemoya is a small tropical tree suitable for a gardens if you have space. it has delicious edible fruit with a sweet flavour that can be eaten raw. It is not known in the wild. Also recorded as Annona × atemoya


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of lolypop
Annona atemoya is a deciduous Tree growing to 8 m (26ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Beetles.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:

Fruit - raw [ 301 ]. Delicious [377]. A sweetish flavour [ 301]. The fruit contains 18% sugar, it can be utilized as a flavouring of ice cream, sherbets and beverages[418 ]. Of excellent quality, it resembles A. Cherimola more than it does A. Squamosa[46 ]. The fruit is about 8 - 15cm in diameter[335 ]. The tree is a garden hybrid, the result of a cross between A. cherimola and A. squamosa[301 ]. Said to be one of the best-tasting fruits in the world, it is often cultivated in gardens and commercial orchards[336 ]. The tree can be grown in warmer regions of the tropics than A. Cherimola and so is widely cultivated there for its edible fruit[301 ].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Insecticide  Rootstock

The plants can be used as rootstocks for cultivars of this species and for other Annona species[336 ]. The green fruit and seed have vermicidal and insecticidal properties[418 ].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

In the tropics, the tree is only grown at elevations above 1,000 metres and will not survive under lowland conditions. It is grown in the lowlands in the subtropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 24° - 28°c, but can tolerate 12 - 32°c[ 418 ]. Plants can tolerate occasional light frosts[ 335 ]. Young trees will not tolerate prolonged temperatures between -3.9 to -6.7?c, whereas mature trees can withstand those temperatures with slight to moderate damage[ 418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 600 - 4,200mm[ 418 ]. Prefers a moist, sandy loam with a pH of around 6[ 200 ]. Tolerant of a range of soil conditions[ 335 ]. Requires a moist but well-drained soil[ 336 , 377 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 5 - 7[ 418 ]. Trees start producing fruit when about 4 - 5 years old from seed, or about 2 - 3 years after grafting[ 335 ]. Mature trees produce from 23 - 34 kg per tree, possibly more with good management, or 5 - 20 tonnes/ha per year[ 418 ]. Plants sometimes have two distinct flowering periods each year[ 335 ]. Fruiting is improved if the flowers are hand pollinated[ 336 ]. The fruit has good shipping qualities[ 46 ]. There are many named varieties[ 301 ].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Propagation

Seed - normally only used to produce plants used as rootstocks[336 ]. The seed usually germinates in about 4 weeks[336 ]. Semi-ripe cuttings[200 ]. Grafting

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Atemoya

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Coming Soon

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Annona cherimolaCherimoya, Custard AppleTree9.0 8-12 FLMHNDM522
Annona liebmannianaHardshell custard-apple, Posh-teTree20.0 9-12 FLMHSNMWe400
Annona mucosaWild SweetsopTree12.0 10-12 FLMHNM512
Annona muricataSour SopTree7.0 10-12 FLMHSNM432
Annona salzmanniiBeach Sugar AppleTree12.0 10-12 SLMSNM402
Annona squamosaSugar Apple, Sweetsop, Custard AppleTree6.0 10-12 SLMNDM522
Annona vepretorumAraticum, Pinha da Caatinga, Araticum-da-bahiaTree6.0 10-12 SLMHND402
Asimina trilobaPapawShrub4.5 5-8 SMSNM423
Cananga odorataYlang Ylang, Perfume TreeTree20.0 10-12 FLMHSNM234
Oxandra lanceolataBlack lancewood, lancewood, haya prietaTree10.0 10-12 MLMHNM004
Oxandra laurifoliaYaya, lancewoodTree10.0 10-12 MLMHNM004

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

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