Cherimoya plant: caring for the creamed apple tree

The creamed apple (cherimoya) is rarely encountered in this country. This little tree is relatively undemanding and its fruits are delicious. However, it does not tolerate frost and must be overwintered accordingly.

Characteristics

• Plant family: Annonaceae
• Botanical name: Cherimoya (Annona)
• German names: Rahmapfel, Zimtapfel, Ochsenherz
• Habit: shrub or small tree
• Height: 150-200 cm
• Foliage: medium green, egg-shaped, tapering to a point
• Flower: simple, pendulous, green-white
• Flowering period: April to June
• Fruits: Multi-berries 5-10 cm in size
• Seeds: poisonous

Location requirements

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 partial shade. In summer she would like to stand in a warm, but not too hot and sheltered place. It should be warm, especially during the growth phase, although the nights can be cool. Young plants are sensitive to direct sunlight.

Note: Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) is the most robust and can stand outside during the summer as long as it is at least 12-15 degrees warm. On the other hand, net and prickly cream apples as well as sweet sack deliver the best results if they are kept under glass all year round.

Soil condition

The cinnamon apple grows best in permeable and slightly acidic soil. High-quality potted plant soil is usually well suited. It should contain coarse-grained proportions such as expanded clay, gravel, clay granules or lava gravel as well as balanced humus proportions. 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 there is no indication of quality in the potted plant soil.

Care requirements

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

to water

• important part of care
• Cherimoya (Annona) needs the most even soil moisture possible
• is sensitive to waterlogging
• it is best to pour it once thoroughly
• then let the soil dry off again
• The pads should not dry out completely
• dried out bales can no longer absorb moisture
• Water flows away unused

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

Fertilize

The nutritional requirement of the cherimoya is rather low. Young seedlings do not need any fertilizer at all, they get their supplies completely from the seed. After approx. two months you can fertilize lightly for the first time. A liquid fertilizer is administered 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.

Note: Too much fertilizer can cause the soil to become too salty, which in turn leads to root damage. An indication of this are the brown leaf margins.

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 the shoot in March. In order to keep the tree in shape or to bring it into shape, you can generally trim it a little. That promotes branching. Sick, damaged, or inward-growing branches can be cut out at any time.

Pollinate flowers by hand

If you want to harvest delicious fruit at some point, the flowers have to be pollinated. This is exactly what turns out to be a bit difficult with this plant, because the insects resp. Beetles that take on this task in nature do not exist in our part of the world. In addition, male and female sexual organs have different times of maturity, which prevents self-pollination. As a result, you have to lend a hand yourself and pollinate the flowers with a natural hair brush. This is not entirely unproblematic, especially if you are not familiar with it.

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

Overwinter

A frost-free wintering 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 only grow moderately, it can stand in the same pot for a relatively long time. However, it forms so-called tap roots, so when choosing a pot or bucket you should make sure that it is tall rather than wide. Even if you don't have to repot every year, it is advisable to renew the soil after about two years. With freshly grown plants, the growing substrate should be replaced after one to two years with a mixture of compost, loamy garden soil, perlite and coconut substrate.

Propagate by sowing

Growing substrate

The soil used for cultivation should be loose and, above all, poor in nutrients and have a pH value not above seven. The trade offers special potting soil for this. To make sure that it is free from fungi and pests, you can put it in a heat-resistant container in the oven or microwave for approx. Heat to 160 degrees for 15 minutes. The earth should be slightly moist for this. The container used is covered, but should not be closed tightly. After cooling, the substrate is ready for sowing.

sowing

The seeds required can be purchased in stores or taken from existing fruits and then cleaned thoroughly. It is best to put each seed in a small pot at least eight centimeters in diameter. This way you can save yourself the isolation later, which would only stress the plants unnecessarily.

• First equip pots with a drainage layer
• made of expanded clay, pottery shards or gravel
• then up to approx. Fill three centimeters below the edge with soil
• Press the earth lightly
• Lay the seeds flat in the middle
• then cover one to two centimeters with soil
• press lightly again
• pour lukewarm water
• ideally with a spray device, 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
• Heatable 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 time up to three months
• avoid direct sun for the first six weeks after budding
• Repot young plants in a suitable substrate after one to two years

Tip: Caution is advised when the seed kernels are broken, because they are poisonous due to the alkaloids they contain.

Diseases & pests

Most of the time, this plant is spared from diseases and pests. However, an infestation can occur under unfavorable conditions. The reason for this can be 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 scale insect infestation. An initial resp. light infestation can possibly be brought under control by wiping off the pests.

frequently asked Questions