Top 5 annonas--atemoya, sugar apples, etc

[Mikey]

Please list your top 5 annonas.  I am trying to find the best of the best to grow in my garden.  I currently have African pride atemoya, Phet Pakchong, And ilama.  I have a lisa atemoya being deliver and seeds for big red on the way.  Let me read your top five and why--sweetness, texture, grittiness, spicy, and etc?

[bsbullie]

Cherimoya, cherimoya, cherimoya,  cherimoya and cherimoya.  If you want to know a sixth, I would go with cherimoya.   Honorable mention, ilama.

[Mikey]

Rob there are different variety of cherimoya.  Which one? 

[bsbullie]

Pierce, Campas, El Bumpo, Sabor, Fino, Santa Rosa...there are a few others I am waiting to try that might bump the variety on the bubble out.  Hopefully get to try a couple few new varieties this winter.

[johnb51]

Since you live in San Diego, definitely go with cherimoyas above everything else.

[Mikey]

I have a hybrid cherimoya seedlings from exotica but Steve from exotica forgot what it was but he told me it was really good.  Only time will tell. 

[CA Hockey]

I have a hybrid from Steve at Bonita creek nursery, cherimoya x atemoya. Couldn't remember the name but a friend of his helped develop it. It's either what they're calling a Satin or Coochie island.

[Mikey]

I have a hybrid from Steve at Bonita creek nursery, cherimoya x atemoya. Couldn't remember the name but a friend of his helped develop it. It's either what they're calling a Satin or Coochie island.

The one I purchase is only a foot tall and it was a different Steve at exotica nursery in vista.   I just planted the tree two weeks ago. 

The day I visited Steve in Bonita he didn't have a very good selections.

[Mikey]

[wayne23]

this is somewhat subjective.  some preferred cherimoya and others swear by atemoya.  even within each category some are sweet and some have chewy textures.  if you are pondering which to grow I suggest you should try the fruits first.

[spaugh]

They have knight cherimoya and bumpos at walter andersons in poway.  The trees are hidden behind the bananas.  They are more expensive there but they have some top grafted trees.  You can probably find some up in vista also maybe atkins or clausons.

[Mikey]

They have knight cherimoya and bumpos at walter andersons in poway.  The trees are hidden behind the bananas.  They are more expensive there but they have some top grafted trees.  You can probably find some up in vista also maybe atkins or clausons.

Walter Anderson down in Point Loma have these weird Vietnamese hybrid from Lavine and they can't seem to explain to me what is in the hybrid.  Bumpos seems like a nice cherimoya.

[bsbullie]

They have knight cherimoya and bumpos at walter andersons in poway.  The trees are hidden behind the bananas.  They are more expensive there but they have some top grafted trees.  You can probably find some up in vista also maybe atkins or clausons.

Walter Anderson down in Point Loma have these weird Vietnamese hybrid from Lavine and they can't seem to explain to me what is in the hybrid.  Bumpos seems like a nice cherimoya.

That would be Laverne and its a Dr. White...a bottom tier variety.  I would not waste time or space growing as a backyard variety...not one I would ever choose to eat.

[BrianL]

In addition to those listed Honeyhart is a good variety.  I showed up to a SD CRFG chapter grafting thing and they had a good selection of wood.  So might want to ask them what grows/tastes best in the area.

I had something at Ong's that was African Pride 2 (seedling of?) which was pretty good.  Not as good as top tier Cherimoyas, but better then low tier Cherimoyas.  It was chewy though which allowed you to eat slices in a car while driving.

Something else is the best ones arn't always the best ones every year in a taste test.  I've seen this in my own tests when trying different varieties as well as people who go to the Irvine thing.

I'd just got a tree then graft on things you find out you like honestly.

 

 

[bsbullie]

Honey Hart is a good commercial type variety but a notch below the top tier varieties.

I can honestly say I have nevwr had a Pierce that was not an award winner and exceptional quality.  Maybe the grower plays a re but I guess that is where I am spoiled...

[Mike T]

African Pride atemoya is not all that good but it partly self fertile so has appeal to commercial growers.Pink’s Mammoth is a larger sweeter fruit but needs hand pollination.Hillary White, tropic sun, Paxton Prolific (aka KJ Pink) and Maroochy Gold are also excellent atemoyas with low seed counts and sweet flesh. I doubt any cherimoyas are of equal quality or they would have been commercialised. Bays, Booth, Burton's Wonder, Chaffey, Kaitaia Special, Loma, Pierce, Pink, Reretai, Sabor, White are cherimoyas trialled in Australia in the 1970s and 1980s and only a few remain as novelties as they couldn't compete with atemoyas.
The best sugar apples and sour sop probably couldn't make a top 5 list but might go close. I wonder if an ilamas can compete with the best atemoyas? From what I have heard the answer is yes.

[WonderKeeper]

Giant Fruit Cherimoya  . Large fruit close to 3lbs

[johnb51]

African Pride atemoya is not all that good but it partly self fertile so has appeal to commercial growers.Pink’s Mammoth is a larger sweeter fruit but needs hand pollination.Hillary White, tropic sun, Paxton Prolific (aka KJ Pink) and Maroochy Gold are also excellent atemoyas with low seed counts and sweet flesh. I doubt any cherimoyas are of equal quality or they would have been commercialised. Bays, Booth, Burton's Wonder, Chaffey, Kaitaia Special, Loma, Pierce, Pink, Reretai, Sabor, White are cherimoyas trialled in Australia in the 1970s and 1980s and only a few remain as novelties as they couldn't compete with atemoyas.
The best sugar apples and sour sop probably couldn't make a top 5 list but might go close. I wonder if an ilamas can compete with the best atemoyas? From what I have heard the answer is yes.

Wouldn't you think that what works commercially in Australia would probably be totally different than a backyard situation in San Diego, CA, SoCal being a prime location for cherimoyas?

[JF]

Not only can cherimoyas compete with atemoyas they crush them. We've had extensive tasting with all of the varieties mike has mention except maroochy  gold and the atemoyas sit far in the back of the bus. I don't know what's happening in Australia with cherimoyas but here in California even the Asian communities, which are in general devotees of chewy atemoyas, are coming around to recognize the superiority of the cherimoya

[Mikey]

My African pride was 1.22kg or a little over 3 lbs.  it was a grafted tree and I planted in the ground for 1 year when it produce my first fruit.

[spaugh]

Mikey, nice fruit.  What part of town do you live in?

[Mikey]

Mikey, nice fruit.  What part of town do you live in?

5 minutes from ong nursery.  My tree is hidden in the backyard good luck trying to be a fruit ninja.  My three killer dogs will get to u before u get to my fruit.  😂

[spaugh]

Haha, I always ask because its nice to meet new people that are close by and also curious about how far inland or how close to the ocean other members are.  I am further inland than you and growing some cherimoyas also.  They seem to be taking the inland heat ok.  That was a concern when planting but seems to be a non issue.

[Mikey]

Haha, I always ask because its nice to meet new people that are close by and also curious about how far inland or how close to the ocean other members are.  I am further inland than you and growing some cherimoyas also.  They seem to be taking the inland heat ok.  That was a concern when planting but seems to be a non issue.

I think they grow better in Poway then they do here in Birdland(small community next to Linda vista).  It doesn't get too hot here because of the ocean breeze.  My plant doesn't grow as fast here as if it was in Poway.  The only diff is that I rarely get frost here during the winter.

[Mikey]

I just purchase a knight, pierce, and el bumpo.  Are the pierce and knight the same?

[joehewitt]

Perhaps Cherimoyas were underwhelming in Australia for reasons pertaining to climate? I simply can't comprehend how anyone could rate an Atemoya above a Cherimoya. There seems to be very few places in the world that have the climate to grow Cherimoyas well, while Atemoya is far more adaptable. That's the only explanation I can fathom.

[spaugh]

I just purchase a knight, pierce, and el bumpo.  Are the pierce and knight the same?

Knight and pierce are the same according to JF.  Did you get all three at the same time?  Where did you get them and what other types did theh have?  I have one more place for a cherimoya.  Just waiting to find the right one.

[Mike T]

I think the I listed are not the best ones and would have been trialled in suitable climates in south Australia, Victoria and NSW as cooler climate alternatives to atemoya. Maybe they were too seedy or soft for the export market to Asia where PP, mammoth and Hillary white have it sewn up.

[Mikey]

I just purchase a knight, pierce, and el bumpo.  Are the pierce and knight the same?

Knight and pierce are the same according to JF.  Did you get all three at the same time?  Where did you get them and what other types did theh have?  I have one more place for a cherimoya.  Just waiting to find the right one.

I am going to return the pierce since it is the same as the knight.  Stupid Lavigne and Walter Anderson said they are diff and I told them they are the same.  :/   I got all three at Walter Anderson in pointloma.

[Jose Spain]

Please list your top 5 annonas...

So far just Rob and Mike answered the question of this topic  , and I think it would be very interesting to know the top 5 (7, 10...) for all of you! 

[wayne23]

Please list your top 5 annonas...

So far just Rob and Mike answered the question of this topic  , and I think it would be very interesting to know the top 5 (7, 10...) for all of you! 

This maybe a a helpful reference.  you can also look at the top varieties from past years.  keep in mind they dont have all of the varieties.  also some varieties ripe sooner then others.  therefore the taste may not reflect their peak flavors at this event. 

http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=14817

[Guayaba]

I have a hybrid from Steve at Bonita creek nursery, cherimoya x atemoya. Couldn't remember the name but a friend of his helped develop it. It's either what they're calling a Satin or Coochie island.

I think you may be talking about Sweet Satin variety from Bonita Creek?  David has mentioned that it is one of the best varieties he has.  I picked up one last month and hope to try it out in the next year or two.

[Mikey]

I just purchase a knight, pierce, and el bumpo.  Are the pierce and knight the same?

Knight and pierce are the same according to JF.  Did you get all three at the same time?  Where did you get them and what other types did theh have?  I have one more place for a cherimoya.  Just waiting to find the right one.

Walter Anderson said next year they will have atemoya.  Right now they have knight and honey heart.  I took the last bumpo.

[Guanabanus]

Check to see if anyone is having success with fruiting Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) in your area [I don't know if it can take Santa Ana winds.].  That is the only Annonaceae family fruit which I like even better than cherimoya.

I have heard very good things about Annona vepretorum, from southern Brazil, which might do well in your area.  Southern Brazil also has several very tasty, but very seedy, Rollinia species, which also might do well in your area.

Annona crassiflora, from the dryish central Brazilian plateau, is also amazingly delicious, and possibly tough enough for southern California.  It has a serious lack of adaptability to soils outside of its native area--- may need extreme acidity?  Mycorrhizae?

[johnb51]

Has the Cumbe cherimoya been trialed in Florida?

[kh0110]

Not only can cherimoyas compete with atemoyas they crush them. We've had extensive tasting with all of the varieties mike has mention except maroochy  gold and the atemoyas sit far in the back of the bus. I don't know what's happening in Australia with cherimoyas but here in California even the Asian communities, which are in general devotees of chewy atemoyas, are coming around to recognize the superiority of the cherimoya

Sorry, Frank, you're referring to only "young" people who either grew up here or who were not into fruits before and therefore have never really paid any attention to such fruits. This group is most likely to adopt cherimoyas and Florida mangos and it's a group that is growing, obviously. There are random exceptions to this with a few people here and there, of course.

[JF]

Not only can cherimoyas compete with atemoyas they crush them. We've had extensive tasting with all of the varieties mike has mention except maroochy  gold and the atemoyas sit far in the back of the bus. I don't know what's happening in Australia with cherimoyas but here in California even the Asian communities, which are in general devotees of chewy atemoyas, are coming around to recognize the superiority of the cherimoya

Sorry, Frank, you're referring to only "young" people who either grew up here or who were not into fruits before and therefore have never really paid any attention to such fruits. This group is most likely to adopt cherimoyas and Florida mangos and it's a group that is growing, obviously. There are random exceptions to this with a few people here and there, of course.

Hi Thera
this is not only my gut feeling but the owner of PHO has expressed this to me.....he sells his chicos and moyas directly to Asian markets

[Jose Spain]

Please list your top 5 annonas...

So far just Rob and Mike answered the question of this topic  , and I think it would be very interesting to know the top 5 (7, 10...) for all of you! 

This maybe a a helpful reference.  you can also look at the top varieties from past years.  keep in mind they dont have all of the varieties.  also some varieties ripe sooner then others.  therefore the taste may not reflect their peak flavors at this event. 

http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=14817

Thank you Wayne, very interesting link! Here where I live there are huge plantations of Fino de Jete, so far Fino is the only variety that I've tasted (that I know), so I don't know how good and how different are the other varieties.