Will Cherimoya grow and fruit Properly in Miami ???

[Johnny Redland]

Anybody have experience with this??

[Balaman]

Hi Johnny,

Atemoya (Annona x atemoya) would be a more suitable choice for your climate. Cherimoya needs a good amount of chilling, which is more common north of Okeechobee. Atemoya, a Cherimoya, Sugar Apple cross is a very tasty and large fruit. I've enjoyed many and the taste and texture is not too far off Cherimoya. This information may help http://www.iplantz.com/plant/91/annona-x-atemoya

[bsbullie]

Hi Johnny,

Atemoya (Annona x atemoya) would be a more suitable choice for your climate. Cherimoya needs a good amount of chilling, which is more common north of Okeechobee. Atemoya, a Cherimoya, Sugar Apple cross is a very tasty and large fruit. I've enjoyed many and the taste and texture is not too far off Cherimoya. This information may help http://www.iplantz.com/plant/91/annona-x-atemoya

No, its not necessarily a chill requirement at all.  Certain varieties of cherimoya have fruited in South Florida.   It is more the varieties that are tropical in origin.  I know Spain has fruited well here in the past..  Will all varieties fruit here, Id say no but I think you may see a few varieties popping up in the next couple of years.

[Johnny Redland]

I bought one from a local grower who has a bunch. I just assumed it would until I came across some random posts indicating it might not. Is red custard Apple as finicky? Because that fruits well here and almost looks identical

[bsbullie]

I bought one from a local grower who has a bunch. I just assumed it would until I came across some random posts indicating it might not. Is red custard Apple as finicky? Because that fruits well here and almost looks identical

You sure what you bought locally is a cherimoya and not chirimoya?  I dont know many SFla cherimoya growers or nurseries selling cherimoyas.  Was there a variety name on it or is it a seedling?  Custard apple,  which some call churimoya, do fine here but us in no way similar or comparable to a cherimoya.

[JF]

There is no official chill hours for cherimoyas, CRFG may have it, but they seem to do well in the tropics at higher elevations. There are new experimental moyas that allegedly may do well in lowlands but that reminds to be seen. Your best bet is to grow a seedling that may adapt to south Florida's climate

[Johnny Redland]

You sure what you bought locally is a cherimoya and not chirimoya?  I dont know many SFla cherimoya growers or nurseries selling cherimoyas.  Was there a variety name on it or is it a seedling?  Custard apple,  which some call churimoya, do fine here but us in no way similar or comparable to a cherimoya.
[/quote]

Yup, I confirmed it is Chirimoya.  What is the difference. Hard for me to find any info online.  Keeps referring me to Cherimoya.  Any photo links or information links on the tree, fruit, quality, etc. would be awesome. I planted it about 1 year ago, it dropped its leaves during winter and now has new growth everywhere.  Its about 7Ft tall or so, but not the loveliest looking thing if you know what I mean.

[TheDom]

You sure what you bought locally is a cherimoya and not chirimoya?  I dont know many SFla cherimoya growers or nurseries selling cherimoyas.  Was there a variety name on it or is it a seedling?  Custard apple,  which some call churimoya, do fine here but us in no way similar or comparable to a cherimoya.

Yup, I confirmed it is Chirimoya.  What is the difference. Hard for me to find any info online.  Keeps referring me to Cherimoya.  Any photo links or information links on the tree, fruit, quality, etc. would be awesome. I planted it about 1 year ago, it dropped its leaves during winter and now has new growth everywhere.  Its about 7Ft tall or so, but not the loveliest looking thing if you know what I mean.
[/quote]

Chirimoya = Annona reticulata AKA Custard apple.

[JF]

You sure what you bought locally is a cherimoya and not chirimoya?  I dont know many SFla cherimoya growers or nurseries selling cherimoyas.  Was there a variety name on it or is it a seedling?  Custard apple,  which some call churimoya, do fine here but us in no way similar or comparable to a cherimoya.

Yup, I confirmed it is Chirimoya.  What is the difference. Hard for me to find any info online.  Keeps referring me to Cherimoya.  Any photo links or information links on the tree, fruit, quality, etc. would be awesome. I planted it about 1 year ago, it dropped its leaves during winter and now has new growth everywhere.  Its about 7Ft tall or so, but not the loveliest looking thing if you know what I mean.

Chirimoya = Annona reticulata AKA Custard apple.
[/quote]

You gotta be careful with the colloquial Spanish in Miami with respect to anonas. Cubans call anona reticulata chirimoya and bibira anon.....cherimoyas do grow in Cuba in the higher elevations and in the Caribbeans   
 
Rollinas in sancti spiritus

[Johnny Redland]

Ahhhhh. I undertand.  Looks like sugar apple. Is it worth growing? I mean, I was even a bit skeptical about growing it when I thought is was "Cherimoya" because of the crazy seed content.  It's just a bear to eat.  But no doubt the flesh is great.

[simon_grow]

I'm not a big fan of sugar apples, they lack the acidity that Cherimoyas have. I've had a few Atemoyas that were pretty good like Lisa. Lisa has a bit of acidity and has hints of Cherimoya but I don't like the average Atemoyas that lack acidify. Dario from the old Cherimoyas.com used to have a special hybrid Cherimoya which I believe is a Cherimoya crossed with an Atemoya that was pretty good and had great texture. There was a thread with pictures on it in the old GW forum.

I wonder if there are any serious Annona breeders in Florida trying to breed for better quality Atemoyas or a Cherimoya that will taste and produce well in Florida?

Simon

[TheDom]

In my book a good sugar apple (A. squamosa) is absolutely worth growing, its just that most atemoyas are going to be better, and proper cherimoyas (A cherimola) will be better still. I might have some McPherson cherimoya fruit set down here in SWFL, keep your fingers crossed for me that they hold to maturity. ;-)

For custard apple (A. reticulata), I'm a fan of them because they bear in the spring when most sugar apples and atemoya aren't holding fruit here in Florida. If I could grow atemoya year round though, I probably wouldn't grow any custard apples. That said they're a good fruit in their own right that bears when many others don't, so I'll try and find the best custard apples I can to keep me eating annonas as close to year round as possible.

For my tastes even the lowly Gefner atemoya is still a great fruit for Florida, ranking above many other things we can grow here. Lisa is hands down a better fruit, as is Dream, but I'd still eat Gefner all day long.

[Capt Ram]

Dom
 do you have any of those  Dream;s ready yet??

[Viking Guy]

I'm fine with Geffner too.  That's the Atemoya I'm growing.

[cbss_daviefl]

You can. You just have to time the pruning of the trees, which will trigger flowering.

If I could grow atemoya year round though, I probably wouldn't grow any custard apples.

[Balaman]

Here is some information I found on the chilling requirements for Cherimoya. This info is published by the California Rare Fruit Grows at : https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/cherimoya.html. The following is an excerpt from that publication:

"If cherimoyas do not receive enough chilling, the trees will go dormant slowly and then experience delayed foliation. The amount of chilling needed is estimated to be between 50 and 100 hours."

Does Miami get that many chilling hours?

[bsbullie]

Here is some information I found on the chilling requirements for Cherimoya. This info is published by the California Rare Fruit Grows at : https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/cherimoya.html. The following is an excerpt from that publication:

"If cherimoyas do not receive enough chilling, the trees will go dormant slowly and then experience delayed foliation. The amount of chilling needed is estimated to be between 50 and 100 hours."

Does Miami get that many chilling hours?

It much more than chill hours.  Elevation plays a role....

[Balaman]

Here is some information I found on the chilling requirements for Cherimoya. This info is published by the California Rare Fruit Grows at : https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/cherimoya.html. The following is an excerpt from that publication:

"If cherimoyas do not receive enough chilling, the trees will go dormant slowly and then experience delayed foliation. The amount of chilling needed is estimated to be between 50 and 100 hours."

Does Miami get that many chilling hours?

It much more than chill hours.  Elevation plays a role....

Elevation in Miami, that's a laugh. Miami is as flat as a pancake, so is most of Florida.

[johnb51]

Elevation in Miami, that's a laugh. Miami is as flat as a pancake, so is most of Florida.

I'll have you know, Mr. Aussie sir, we have 300-ft."mountains" in Florida, the formidable 150-mile-long Lake Wales Ridge (with Sugarloaf Mountain and Iron Mountain), and a county named "Highlands!"  So there.

[spaugh]

What does elevation do for cherimoyas?

[DocFruitFly]

They grow better closer to God

[johnb51]

They grow better closer to God

But God is everywhere--omnipresent and all-pervading.

[Viking Guy]

 

Now I want a Cherimoya.  I'll stand it on a 5 foot planter stand and see what happens.

Got any at Excal bsb?

[Mark in Texas]

They grow better closer to God

And touched by angels.  That's why they're so sweet.

I doubt if Miami ever gets 100 chill hours especially over last "winter".  My peach trees look sick because of so few chill hours, the norm being 750 + where I am.  Elevation - 1,800'.

[Guayaba]

They grow better closer to God

And touched by angels.  That's why they're so sweet.

I doubt if Miami ever gets 100 chill hours especially over last "winter".  My peach trees look sick because of so few chill hours, the norm being 750 + where I am.  Elevation - 1,800'.

I didn't realize Miami ever received average chill hours, especially recently.  I only get about 50 to 75 hours of chill in the winter on average, and areas near the coast even less.  This year I received about 160 hours which hasn't happened in about 7 years.  I can't say if that will have much of an effect on Cherimoya fruit production.  I think the extra rainfall we had will help more.