Annona

The genus Annona includes species of evergreen or semi-deciduous (shedding leaves depending on temperature and humidity) tender trees and shrubs. They have regular leaves of elliptical or oblong shape. The height of plants is from 1 to 7 m. The flowers are solitary or in racemes, greenish-yellow in color. Juicy fruits in some species are edible, for example, in Annona cherimolia (Annona cherimolia), the most common type. In places of natural growth (in the highlands of Peru), it lives at an altitude above 1000 m above sea level, and therefore in culture it is successfully grown only in areas with mild winters and not too hot summers. The plant is called a "sugar Apple". It is a small tree with ovate and ovate-lanceolate leaves. The flowers are fragrant, solitary or collected together in 2-3 groups, greenish on the outside, reddish on the inside. Yellowish-green edible fruits with a white sour pulp are very fragrant and, depending on the variety, have different shapes and sizes. Annona scaly (A. squamosa) is a sprawling plant, its branches are arranged in a zigzag pattern, often pubescent. The leaves are lanceolate-pointed, intense light green in color; the flowers are collected in yellowish-green inflorescences with purple spots. Characteristic fruits are scaly, greenish-yellow, with an edible pulp, with the smell of cinnamon, otherwise this Annona is called "cinnamon Apple". Its leaves have insecticidal properties. Annona glabra, or "marsh Apple" (A. glabra), is a species with young glabrous shoots, ovate and oblong leaves; fragrant flowers are yellow-white with red spots. The fruit comes in various shapes; when ripe, it is yellow, with a very fragrant pulp. The fruits and seeds are poisonous. Annona reticulata (A. reticulata) - a species whose young shoots are covered with rust-colored fluff. The leaves are oblong to lanceolate in shape; yellow or greenish-yellow with purple spots at the base of the flowers are collected in drooping inflorescences. Fruits of various shapes, drooping (a characteristic feature), olive-green.

The genus Annona includes species of evergreen or semi-deciduous (shedding leaves depending on temperature and humidity) tender trees and shrubs. They have regular leaves of elliptical or oblong shape. The height of plants is from 1 to 7 m. The flowers are solitary or in racemes, greenish-yellow in color. Juicy fruits in some species are edible, for example, in Annona cherimolia (Annona cherimolia), the most common type. In places of natural growth (in the highlands of Peru), it lives at an altitude above 1000 m above sea level, and therefore in culture it is successfully grown only in areas with mild winters and not too hot summers. The plant is called a "sugar Apple". It is a small tree with ovate and ovate-lanceolate leaves. The flowers are fragrant, solitary or collected together in 2-3 groups, greenish on the outside, reddish on the inside. Yellowish-green edible fruits with a white sour pulp are very fragrant and, depending on the variety, have different shapes and sizes. Annona scaly (A. squamosa) is a sprawling plant, its branches are arranged in a zigzag pattern, often pubescent. The leaves are lanceolate-pointed, intense light green in color; the flowers are collected in yellowish-green inflorescences with purple spots. Characteristic fruits are scaly, greenish-yellow, with an edible pulp, with the smell of cinnamon, otherwise this Annona is called "cinnamon Apple". Its leaves have insecticidal properties.

Annona glabra, or "marsh Apple" (A. glabra), is a species with young glabrous shoots, ovate and oblong leaves; fragrant flowers are yellow-white with red spots. The fruit comes in various shapes; when ripe, it is yellow, with a very fragrant pulp. The fruits and seeds are poisonous.

Annona reticulata (A. reticulata) - a species whose young shoots are covered with rust-colored fluff. The leaves are oblong to lanceolate in shape; yellow or greenish-yellow with purple spots at the base of the flowers are collected in drooping inflorescences. Fruits of various shapes, drooping (a characteristic feature), olive-green.

Cultivation

Annona is grown as an ornamental and as a fruit plant in a mild, preferably seaside climate. It can also be grown in a pot, but put it in the house for the winter and maintain a temperature of approximately 15-18 °C. Plants are planted in a permanent place in the spring. They prefer moist, but very well-drained soil, with the introduction of organic fertilizers at the rate of 5-7 kg /m2. When growing them in a pot, use a substrate made up 1/3 of fertile land, 1/3 of peat and 1/3 of sand, with the addition of a complex mineral fertilizer at the rate of 30 g per bucket of soil. When growing both in a pot and in the open ground in spring and summer, once every 2-3 weeks, a complex fertilizer is added to the water for irrigation in the amount of 10 g per bucket. Annonas are usually grown without heavy pruning; they are limited only to removing dry and damaged branches.

Annona is grown as an ornamental and as a fruit plant in a mild, preferably seaside climate. It can also be grown in a pot, but put it in the house for the winter and maintain a temperature of approximately 15-18 °C. Plants are planted in a permanent place in the spring. They prefer moist, but very well-drained soil, with the introduction of organic fertilizers at the rate of 5-7 kg /m2. When growing them in a pot, use a substrate made up 1/3 of fertile land, 1/3 of peat and 1/3 of sand, with the addition of a complex mineral fertilizer at the rate of 30 g per bucket of soil. When growing both in a pot and in the open ground in spring and summer, once every 2-3 weeks, a complex fertilizer is added to the water for irrigation in the amount of 10 g per bucket. Annonas are usually grown without heavy pruning; they are limited only to removing dry and damaged branches.

Location

Usually, partial shade is recommended for these plants, especially in conditions of very high summer temperatures.

Temperature

The minimum temperature is 10 °C, and the maximum temperature should not exceed 29 °C if possible.

Watering

Water often so that the ground is always slightly moist, but you need to avoid excessive watering and stagnation of water.

Transplant

It is produced every 2-3 years in spring, in pots slightly larger than the previous ones, using the same soil that was recommended for cultivation.

Reproduction

Seeds are sown in spring in very well-drained soil. As soon as the seedlings grow up, they are transplanted into pots one at a time. Then they are transferred several times to pots slightly larger than the previous ones, until the plants reach approximately 30 cm in height, after which they are finally planted. Grafting propagates primarily varieties of Annona cherimoya on a rootstock grown from the seed of both the same species and other species described above.

Diseases

The most common injuries are from the cold, when the temperature is too low, or because of high temperature burns. Lack of water causes the leaves to fall. Root rotting begins when growing with a lack or excess of water in the soil. This nuisance can be avoided by using suitable soil and proper watering.

Acquisition

Annona is difficult to find on sale, it can only be done in specialized nurseries. Buy young plants, because they take root better.

The fruit of the Annona A simple fruit of the Annona - syncarpy has a special shape, usually formed of several fused carpels. The flesh of syncarpia is white and fragrant, with many black seeds inside. In edible species, it is removed from the fruit with a teaspoon, because it is very soft and tender. In Brazil (one of the countries where Annona grows naturally), it is called the "count's fruit", because they consider its fruit to be a very refined dish.

The fruit of the Annona

A simple fruit of the Annona - syncarpy has a special shape, usually formed of several fused carpels. The flesh of syncarpia is white and fragrant, with many black seeds inside. In edible species, it is removed from the fruit with a teaspoon, because it is very soft and tender. In Brazil (one of the countries where Annona grows naturally), it is called the "count's fruit", because they consider its fruit to be a very refined dish.