Tree ID, and Is It Normal?

[Carbo]

A few years ago my wife brought home a few seeds from Brazil.  She grew up eating them and called the fruit Annona.  When I did my research I saw many references to what I think is the same fruit, but with many different names:  cherimoya, sugar apple, soursop, and probably a few more.  So I'm trying to determne what I'm growing and if what I'm seeing with the flowers is normal.
Planted the seedling in ground about three years ago.  I was concerned when it dried up and lost all its leaves in the winter, but it is flush again with bright green leaves and what appears to be many flowers.  The first few flowers, however, have turned brown and withered up.  Is this the norm?
Can someone ID this tree and tell me how to care for it?  Many thanks!

[Patrick]

Youtube search videos on hand pollinating Cherimoya.Cherimoya Hand Pollination


Looks like a sugar apple to me. Hand pollination will help set fruit to identify!

[GwenninPR]

Nice!  It is not a soursop (the flowers are different).  Could be a sugar apple (Annona squamosa),  custard apple (annona reticulata) or the cherimoya (annona cherimola).

[Tropicalgrower89]

Looks identical or very similar to a sugar apple/sweetsop tree.  Most likely is.

[Carbo]

So I guess I won't know for sure until a fruit is produced.  In the meantime, I should probably get outside and do some pollinating. . .
Thank you, folks.

[MarinFla]

It most probably is Not a Cherimoya.....Cherimoya will grow in South Florida (10b) but I don't know of anyone that have produced flowers/fruit here. They don't like our humid steamy weather here at sea level. So I vote A. Squamosa or Reticulata

[davidgarcia899]

I think its a cherimoya

[bsbullie]

I know of a cherimoya that has flowered and "fruited" in Central/Southern Palm Beach County prior to its demise.  I also believe Har knows of some also (I do not mean the Dream Cherimoya).

[digigarden]

probably sugar apple.

post pics of the fruit when ready 

[Carbo]

Took a good look at the tree this morning.  Many flowers, most are still very small.  The few larger ones have all turned brown, dried up, and fallen off the tree or are about to.  I'd like to try to do some hand pollinating but I'm confused.  The video above seems to be saying the flowers are both male and female, depending upon the stage of growth or time of day.  Is this correct? 

[Zambezi]

It looks like a sugar apple.. Annona Squamosa...Gently feel a leaf in between your fingers... especially new leaves.

If shiney and smooth/clean feel... most likely sugar apple...the leaves have a sort of shine that reflects back.
If they feel like wool... velvety, and smooth, esp. new leaves, no shine.. likely a cherimoya, or atemoya... just something i use to help me Id them...

But it'll be easier to id if and when it sets fruit...

here's a good place to read more and see the flower stages of the cherimoya..
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/cherimoya.html

[Carbo]

The link to that article was very helpful.  Thank you, GT!

[Guanabanus]

On most sugar-apple trees, the pollen is available around sunrise.

The petals are supposed to dry up and fall off, in a week or two usually.  Only the base of a well-pollinated flower should remain.

Be sure the tree is fertilized with a mix containing Boron and Zinc, and that Calcium is available, in the soil, or added.

[Mike T]

It sure looks like a sugar apple but I wouldn't rule out atemoya jut yet.The first atemoya seeds in Australia (pinks mammoth) arrived from NE south America in the 1800's.You'll know pretty well as soon as the fruit starts developing.

[murahilin]

It most probably is Not a Cherimoya.....Cherimoya will grow in South Florida (10b) but I don't know of anyone that have produced flowers/fruit here. They don't like our humid steamy weather here at sea level. So I vote A. Squamosa or Reticulata

A few years back, Excalibur had a fruiting Cherimoya in a 100g+ container. I saw it produce one or two fruit. I don't know what happened to the tree. Maybe Rob can find out an update on its status.

[Carbo]

I figured now might be a good time to awaken this thread.  Here are some photos just taken.  Can the tree now be positively identified?  Also, the fruit is changing color.  Is this normal or is it going bad on the vine?  Thanks, all.

[plantlover13]

i say sugar apple for sure, based off the bumps

[MarinFla]

i say sugar apple for sure, based off the bumps

i agree

[Mike T]

Sugar apple alright.The darkening is not normal and the fruit may rot or go dry, hard and black in that portion as it develops.

[ofdsurfer]

Does anybody have any tips for hand pollinating rollinas?

[Carbo]

Sugar apple alright.The darkening is not normal and the fruit may rot or go dry, hard and black in that portion as it develops.

What possibly caused this fruit to go bad?  Insect, weather related??

[Zambezi]

Carbo,

I'm glad you got fruits.. Yes, it definitely looks like a Sugar apple (Annona Squamosa).

I'm not sure why some fruit of the sugar apple sometimes just "mummify". I think that is what's happening here. It gets dry, rubbery, black and shrivels up(self-aborts). Sometimes it's due to extremes in weather, plant not getting enough water, too little nutrients in soil, too many fruit on the tree??...

Is there more fruit on the tree? Mine is still producing flowers and hope your's is too, so you've still got a chance for more fruit to set...

[fruitlovers]

Carbo,

I'm glad you got fruits.. Yes, it definitely looks like a Sugar apple (Annona Squamosa).

I'm not sure why some fruit of the sugar apple sometimes just "mummify". I think that is what's happening here. It gets dry, rubbery, black and shrivels up(self-aborts). Sometimes it's due to extremes in weather, plant not getting enough water, too little nutrients in soil, too many fruit on the tree??...

Is there more fruit on the tree? Mine is still producing flowers and hope your's is too, so you've still got a chance for more fruit to set...

Mummification of annona fruits is caused by chalcid wasp stinging fruits and depositing larvae eggs inside the fruit. Not certain from photo that is the case here, but it's possible.

[Carbo]

GreenThumb, the tree has 5 or 6 fruits on it.  No more flowers, though, so I guess that's it.  But considering this is my first attempt at growing this species and at hand pollinating, I'm pleased with this.

Oscar, thanks for the bad news.  I had no idea that annonas were subject to wasp stings.  It's ironic, because that tree replaced a papaya which was constantly under attack, and successfully, by papaya fruit flies.  I took to bagging the fruits, but for a fruit I don't particularly like it wasn't worth the effort and down it came.  Time to research ways to stop the wasp.  I still have a few small fruits on the annona tree that I want to try and save.  Sure hope it's worth it.  Never sampled a sugar apple before.

[Zambezi]

5-6 is a good number to start with.. It will produce more as the tree gets older.

I hope you enjoy the fruit...
Good luck!