How to Grow a Cherimoya Plant

Cherimoyas (Annona cherimola Mill.) are appreciated for their smooth texture and sweet pear-like flavor. You seldom see this flavorful fruit in grocery stores because it has a short shelf life, but growing your own tree can be a rewarding experience. Probably the most difficult thing about growing cherimoyas is fertilizing the flowers. The male and female parts of the flowers mature at different times so the flowers can't fertilize themselves. This is complicated by the fact that there are no natural insect pollinators in Department of Agriculture all over the world is hardiness zones 10 and 11 where cherimoyas grow. Because of this, gardeners must hand-pollinate the flowers by transferring the pollen from one flower to the mature stigma on another.

Clear a sunny location with well-drained soil. In coastal areas, cherimoyas need shelter from strong winds that can damage the plant, and further inland they need protection from a combination of high heat and strong sunlight, which can burn the foliage. Avoid planting the tree near a wall that can reflect heat.

Transplant the tree into the chosen location. Keep the soil level of the tree even with the level of the surrounding soil, and backfill with dirt removed from the hole without amending it in any way.

Water the newly planted tree cherimoya slowly and deeply, allowing as much water as possible to sink into the soil.

Space additional trees 25 to 30 feet apart.

Water young trees every 15 to 20 days during the growing season, allowing a four-month dormancy in winter when the tree is not watered. Discontinue watering mature trees when the fruit is fully ripe.

Fertilize young trees twice each year with 10-8-6 fertilizer in 6-inch deep trenches dug around the tree at a distance of 5 feet from the trunk. Use 1/2 pound of fertilizer when the tree is six months old and 1 pound when it is a year old. Feed the tree twice with 1 pound of fertilizer in the second year. Switch to 1 pound of 6-10-8 fertilizer for each feeding the third year and increase the feeding by 1 pound each year until you are using 5 pounds of fertilizer at each feeding.

Prune the tree to two main lateral branches with angles of at least 60 degrees from the trunk. Remove two-thirds of the new growth each year. The trees are capable of growing as much as 30 feet tall, but they are usually pruned much shorter. Severe pruning makes fertilizing the flowers and harvesting the fruit easier.

Fertilize the flowers when they bloom. Remove the pollen from the flowers by removing the tan anthers that are covered with white pollen with tweezers and placing them in a small container. Apply the pollen to a mature stigma of another flower with a small, soft paintbrush. The stigma is a white sticky structure inside the flower.

Repeat the pollination process every three to five days.

Tip

The stigma are most receptive to fertilization with pollen early in the morning. You can store pollen in a sealed plastic container overnight if necessary.

Warning

The leaves, seeds and wood of cherimoya trees contain alkaloids that are considered poisonous if eaten, however there is no danger in handling these plant parts.