The Tropical Fruit Forum

I have seen them stored in the dark on a garage shelf in a single layer. It apparently works ok for a couple months, but eventually they start to sprout and will need to be planted.

Ok, I want to bring back this discussion about Tim's identity. I have grown the tree for 3-4 years now and gotten to eat a number of fruits. Based on my observations I think it is in the Pinks Mamoth family and possibly Maroochy Gold or Hillary White (Hillary White was a budsport of Pinks Mamoth that was more productive without hand pollination and Maroochy Gold is a hybrid of Hillary White with a red sugar apple). The link below includes a couple pics of Maroochy Gold. Disregard the picture of the huge fruit with the baby--they apparently uae that on several of their atemoya descriptions.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.daleysfruit.com.au/Custard-Apple--Maroochydore-Gold-Annona-atemoya.htm&ved=2ahUKEwiehaGo9I7zAhXUTTABHX2MDhQQFnoECAMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw17WiKDdcs2JeyLRiy-haNH

Based on the 4 atemoyas that I have grown (Tim, Lisa, Gefner, and Dream) Tim has the largest leaves, fruit, and seeds. It ialso has richest/sweetest flavor and an excellent flesh to seed ratio. It also has the thickest peel and some grittiness near the peel (similar to the mamoth types). The exterior of the fruit is knobby (as opposed to pointy, smooth, or impressa type fruits) and many fruits exibit creaming between the segments at maturity--something I have not seen in Gefner or in pics of African Pride (which according to the book I have from Australia is actually be the Israeli variety Kaller which made its way to Australia by way of South Africa). What do those of you who have grown this fruit think? Are my descriptions accurate and does the atemoya in the picture resemble the Tims you have grown?

I want to thank Waldi1 for asking this question and also everyone who has commented on the thread. So often we accept and use names without thinking about what they actually mean or where they came from. Thinking through this has forced me to do research that really helped me to better understand not only the common names for fruits in English, but also some of the history of fruit collecting. Thanks!

Keep in mind that the pawpaws native to central Florida and south are not the same species and do not have the same flavor as their northern cousins. I have eaten one species of Florida pawpaw (a small one with white flesh). It was a bit bland. I would rate it about on par with coco plum. Suposedly there are much better tasting varieties among the Florida native paw paws and even some hybrids.

I would only do it once a year. Double girdling weakens the plant much more than the once a year girdling. Most of the time it is only done on very healthy vines to hit a specific (earlier) market window. This should not be a major concern in the home garden. Even where it is practiced, they typically don't do it multiple years in a row.

Although there is some discussion among experts, there seems to be a consensus that apples originally came from the far east (China) or at least central Asia and resulted as the hybrid of two Malus species that had substantially lower quality fruit. They migrated to Europe with the help of people and eventually became the most popular fruit there. In fact the word apple means "fruit" in the original English language. Now, thousands of years later we associate it with only one fruit, but in the original language it was just the generic word for fruit. This understanding clears things up quite a bit and the names make more sense when understood in that light. Thus, sugar apple originally meant "sugar fruit" etc.

It is indeed a common practice and is recommended by the University of California.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/Growing_Grapes_in_the_California_Garden/%3Fuid%3D36%26ds%3D436&ved=2ahUKEwiZ_5z-yYTzAhWEZzABHQoPDIgQFnoECCkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1BEdFc8mL7CGpbYjIGvsyq&cshid=1631832653548

I do not have personal experience, but I have read that girdling will increase the size and sweetness of bunch grapes. You just want to be very specific in how you do it so you do not damage the plant. I believe most grapes sold for fresh eating have been girdled.

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Having reviewed the limited pics of Maroochy Gold online (mostly on Daley's), I am beginning to suspect that the Tim Atemoya is MG or a seedling of it that has come close to type. Anyone have other thoughts?

English speakers were trying to describe things they had seen and eaten to someone who had never seen or tasted it before by using terms that the listener could understand. They used other fruits from Europe in their descriptions as well. For example, Prickly Pear, Natal Plum, Tropical Apricot, Sea Grape, Desert Peach, and Strawberry Tree. Apples were just the most common fruit, so it was the fall back when there was nothing at all close to compare to in Europe. Other cultures do it too. Actually, I am told that the Chinese name for Sugar Apple is "Foreign Lychee."

Plantinyum, that's good info on the description for both types (edible and non). I have both of them, my skinny leaf aloe is the non-edible, my large leaf aloe is the edible (has the yellow flowers). Glad I have a ton of the edible plants. The large aloe is very easy to grow, just pull off a pup from the side of the large plant and stick it in dirt. I should try making something with all the plants I have. I usually end up throwing away a few hundred pounds of aloe each year to clean up the growth of these plants but ever use it much except for minor burns and cuts.

I have "filleted," rinsed, and frozen chunks to use in smoothies before. Drinking aloe gel is suposed to be good for people with stomach and lung problems. The frozen gel can also be thawed and used topically.