The cream apple (Cherimoya) is rarely found in this country. This small tree is relatively undemanding and its fruits are a delight. However, it does not tolerate frost and must be overwintered accordingly.

In a nutshell

  • Cream apple thrives wherever citrus fruits grow
  • due to the climatic conditions in this country exclusively in bucket culture
  • ensure proper watering and hibernate frost-free
  • The flowers can be pollinated by hand

Characteristics

  • Plant Family: Annaceae
  • Botanical Name: Cherimoya (Annona)
  • German names: cream apple, cinnamon apple, ox heart
  • Growth: Shrub or small tree
  • Growth height: 150-200 cm
  • Foliage: mid-green, ovate, tapering
  • Flower: simple, hanging, green-white
  • Flowering time: April to June
  • Fruits: 5-10 cm large cluster berries
  • seeds: poisonous

location claims

The demands on the location can vary from variety to variety. Due to the lack of winter hardiness, cherimoya should not be planted in the garden. Basically, this plant likes it warm and sunny to semi-shady. In summer she wants to be somewhere warm, but not too hot and sheltered from the wind. It should be warm, especially during the growth phase, although the nights can be cool. Young plants are sensitive to direct sunlight.

Notice: Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) is the hardiest and can be left outside throughout the summer as long as the temperature is at least 12-15 degrees. On the other hand, net and prickly cream apples and sweetsop produce the best results when grown under glass all year round.

soil condition

The cinnamon apple grows best in permeable and slightly acidic soil. High-quality potting soil is usually well suited. It should contain coarse-grained parts such as expanded clay, gravel, clay granules or lava dust as well as balanced humus parts. While the coarse-grained parts keep the soil loose and airy, humus ensures good storage capacity for water and nutrients.

Tip: A high proportion of peat in the potting soil is not an indication of quality.

claims to care

In order for your cherimoya to thrive, you should observe the following care instructions.

pour

  • important part of care
  • Cherimoya (Annona) requires soil moisture that is as even as possible
  • reacts sensitively to waterlogging
  • it is best to water thoroughly once
  • then let the soil dry out again
  • Bales should not dry out completely
  • dried out bales can no longer absorb moisture
  • Water flows away unused

Notice: If the root ball has dried out, it is advisable to place the pot and ball in a container with water until it has absorbed enough water. In addition to a slightly moist soil, this plant also needs an air humidity of more than 70%.

Fertilize

The nutrient requirement of the cherimoya is rather low. Young seedlings do not need any fertilizer at all, they feed themselves completely from the seed. After about two months you can fertilize for the first time. Give a liquid fertilizer once a week, a quarter of the recommended amount. Older specimens are fertilized every two weeks during the growth phase from April/May to September.

Notice: Too much fertilizer can lead to salinity in the soil, which in turn causes root damage. An indication of this are brown leaf edges.

To cut

Regular pruning is not necessary with this plant. However, if individual shoots become too long, they can be shortened without any problems, ideally before they sprout in March. In order to keep the tree in shape or to bring it into shape, you can generally prune it a little. This promotes branching. Diseased, damaged or inward growing branches can be cut out at any time.

Pollinate flowers by hand

If you want to harvest delicious fruits at some point, the flowers have to be pollinated. This is exactly what is difficult with this plant, because the insects or beetles that take on this task in nature do not exist in our latitudes. In addition, male and female sex organs mature at different times, which prevents self-pollination. As a result, you have to do it yourself and pollinate the flowers with a brush made of natural hair. This is not entirely unproblematic, especially if you are not familiar with it.

Notice: If pollination does not work, the cream apple is an attractive houseplant, even without fruit, if there is enough space. Its velvety hairy leaves also exude a fine sweet-fruity scent.

hibernate

A frost-free hibernation is mandatory, because the cinnamon apple is not hardy. Ideally, you overwinter it in a bright room at temperatures between 12 and 20 degrees. It shouldn't be colder than twelve degrees. A certain amount of soil moisture must also be maintained in winter, but the amount and frequency of watering must be significantly reduced. The warmer the winter quarters, the higher the water requirement.

repot

Since the roots of this plant grow only moderately, it can stay in the same pot for a relatively long time. However, it forms so-called taproots, so when choosing the pot or tub you should make sure that it is rather high than wide. Even if you don't have to repot every year, it is advisable to renew the soil after about two years. In the case of freshly grown plants, the cultivation substrate should be replaced after one to two years with a mixture of compost, loamy garden soil, perlite and coconut substrate.

Propagation by seed

growing substrate

The soil used for cultivation should be loose and, above all, low in nutrients and have a pH value of no more than seven. The trade offers special growing soil for this purpose. To make sure that it is free of fungi and pests, you can heat it up in a heat-resistant container in the oven or in the microwave at 160 degrees for about 15 minutes. The soil should be slightly damp for this. The vessel used is covered, but should not be tightly closed. After cooling, the substrate is ready for sowing.

sowing

The required seeds can be purchased commercially or taken from existing fruits and then cleaned thoroughly. It is best to place each seed in a small pot at least three inches in diameter. So you can save later the separation, which would only stress the little plants unnecessarily.

  • First equip pots with drainage layer
  • expanded clay, potsherds or gravel
  • then fill with soil up to about three centimeters below the edge
  • Press the soil lightly
  • Lay the seeds flat in the middle
  • then cover an inch or two with soil
  • press lightly again
  • pour with lukewarm water
  • ideally with a sprayer, not with a watering can

germination conditions

  • Put the pots with the seeds in a warm place
  • Germination temperatures around 25 degrees are optimal
  • as long as no germ can be seen, a dark place is also possible
  • heated mini greenhouse is an advantage
  • with adjustable floor temperature
  • if the first germs are visible, place them in the brightest possible place
  • not in the blazing sun
  • Germination period up to three months
  • Avoid direct sun for the first six weeks after sprouting
  • Repot young plants after one to two years in a suitable substrate

Tip: Care should be taken with broken seed kernels, as they are poisonous due to the alkaloids they contain.

Diseases & Pests

This plant is mostly spared from diseases and pests. Nevertheless, an infestation can occur under unfavorable conditions. This can be caused by a location that is too cold or too dry, but also strong fluctuations in the water supply. Preparations based on paraffin or rapeseed oil can be helpful against a scale insect infestation. An initial or slight infestation can possibly be brought under control simply by wiping the pests away.

frequently asked Questions

When do the fruits of the creamed apple ripen?

It usually takes four to five months for the fruit to ripen. They mature in late fall or winter, provided pollination has been successful. If the fruit yields under slight pressure, it is ripe.

Is it normal if the plant loses its leaves in winter?

It is quite normal for cream apples to lose their leaves over the winter. As a rule, however, it drives out again quickly.

Is there a way to speed up the germination process?

It may be helpful to douse the seeds with hot water before sowing and then soak them in lukewarm water for a day or two. After that, they should be sown immediately. But the most important thing is and remains warmth and constant soil moisture.

How many flowers are needed for hand pollination?

There should definitely be several. This is the only way to find those that are in the male and female stages at the same time, because the flowers only open for pollination for a few hours. The female buds from which the fruits develop are located in the center of the flower. The male stamens are arranged in a ring around the female rudiments.

Category:

Garden plants