Atemoya tree growing tree of the genus Annona, and also known as Annona atemoya, is a cross hybrid of Sugar apple and Cherimoya, Atemoya evergreen perennial but in a cold weather become deciduous, can growing in tropics, mediterranean or subtropical climate and growing in hardiness zone 10b+ and with the right care can grow in hardiness zone 9b-10a.
Leaves color green in oval shape.
Flower small green-yellowish, separate times on the same tree female and male flower, the flowers are protogyny at first female and after becomes a male flower, female stage and the male stage afternoon, day after day.
Atemoya fruits
Fruit skin has dandruff skin the dandruff sticking out the color of the skin green-yellow and the inner color is white-yellow, Geffner atemoya fruits are popular
Atemoya for sale – Seeds or Plants to Buy
Requirements for Atemoya growing and care:
Prefer rich soil with organic matter
How to care:
Two trees for increase the chance of pollination, prune once a year, fertilize 4 time a year (when the tree is young more nitrogen), cover the soil in mulch, water regular, if fruits explode before ready need to increase the amount of water
What is the best way to start growing?
Plant, seeds, cutting
Is it necessary to graft or in Atemoya?
Yes
Difficulties or problems when growing:
Low amount of fruit caused by the difference blooming hours between flower for male and female
Planting season:
Spring, summer, autumn
Pests and diseases:
Aphids
Pruning season:
Winter
How to prune:
Cut the outer branch, make the branches grow into each other in density, take by hand the leaves
Size of the plant:
3-8 m, 10-24 feet
Growth speed in optimal condition:
Medium growing
Water requirement:
Average amount of water
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun / Half Shade
Is it possible to grow as houseplant?
No
Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers:
Yes
Blooming information
Bloom season:
Spring / Summer
General information about the flower
Small green-yellowish flower, separate times on the same tree female and male flower, the flowers are protogyny at first female and after becomes a male flower, female stage and the male stage afternoon, day after day.
Thinning the bloom:
First two years
Pollination is done by:
Beetles, Bees, hand-pollinate performed by collecting the male pollen by cotton swabs and pollinating the female flowers. Gathering flowers in a male form (make sure that the flowers from weak area or not next to female flower). Keep flowers in a dark place, high humidity, preferably in a cool and ventilated place. If the flower pollen has been taken out, the male flower not useful.
Tree not fruiting:
Common problem, few way to solve it: pollinate by hand, grow two different cultivars increase the chance to get fruits, trough dead fruits and vegetable that attract beetles like peel of watermelon and melon
Edible Fruit
Fruit harvest season:
Summer / Autumn
Fruits pests or diseases:
Birds, aphids
What can be done with big quantities of Atemoya fruits?
Eaten raw, juice, cakes, jam
Work requirements on the fruit:
Increase Irrigation, possible to put net under the tree to collect the fruits
How long does it take to bear fruit?
2-4 years
Ripening of fruit
Recommend to collect the fruit little bit before ready
How to eat:
Eat the white pulp and take the seeds out
Cultivars
Atemoya african pride- Big sweet fruits without a lot of seeds
Geffner atemoya tree – One of the most popular cultivar, sweet fruits without a lot of seeds
Lisa Atemoya – Pink fruits mostly just the peal the inner part white and sweet
Red Atemoya – red peal with mostly white and little pink-red in the fruits in the pare that touch the peal
How to grow Atemoya from seeds
Sowing requirement:
Better in peat soil with vermiculite possible in other soils
Saving seeds until sowing:
Dry and dark location, keep it room temperature
Sowing season:
Spring will be the best for the tree but possible in summer, and in hardiness zone 12+ possible all year
Planting spacing:
Better in different pots – because need to graft it after and some won’t establish, better to choose the best to transplant to the real location
Depth of Sowing:
3-5cm, (~1-2inches)
Conditions for seeds germinate:
Moist soil, sunny location, water regularly and don’t let it dry
Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water
Germination time:
2-4 weeks
Condition of seedling:
Sunny location, humidity and moist soil
Scientific name:
Annona atemoya