Cherimoya
Annona cherimola
A highland fruit that dislikes extreme heat.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 11
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 20 ft tall, 20 ft wide
Harvest: November to April
From: Andes
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food.
Native to: Andean highlands. Hardy in zones 10 to 11.
The story
Cherimoya comes from the Andean valleys of Ecuador and Peru, where it was grown long before the Inca and painted on their pottery. Mark Twain called it the most delicious fruit known to man; it grows in coastal California, Spain and New Zealand.
Planting
Full sun or afternoon shade, drained soil, and a mild climate with cool nights; it dislikes both frost and desert heat. Plant a grafted tree.
Growing
Hand-pollinate: collect pollen from flowers at night and brush onto newly opened flowers next morning. Water through the growing season and let it rest in winter.
Harvest and use
Pick in late autumn to winter when the skin turns slightly yellow-green and gives a little; ripen indoors a few days. Eat with a spoon; the seeds are not edible.
What to watch for
Poor fruit set without hand pollination, fruit fly, and frost on young trees.
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More tropical and subtropical food plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home