Atemoya is a hybrid of two beloved fruits in the Annona family - Sugar apple (A. squamosa) and Cherimoya (A. cherimola). The Atemoya fruit shares the best qualities of its two parent trees, and performs well in south Florida! The fruit has an outer skin with “scales” that easily peels away when ripe, revealing a soft white flesh with a chewy texture. The taste is sweet and juicy, with floral and subacid notes - think pineapple, strawberry, and pear… but overall, the eating experience of an Atemoya is unique to itself and the Annona family of fruits. We know many people who say that it’s easily their favorite fruit.
Atemoya trees grow stout and wide, with long lateral branches. They are semi-deciduous, growing vigorously through the warm months, and shedding leaves as the days get shorter. The fruit forms on new growth and 1-yr old growth, and ripens from late summer into fall. Pruning Atemoya trees in late winter/early spring will produce a strong spring growth flush, and a mid-summer trim can encourage a second crop. Most Atemoya trees will produce an acceptable amount of fruit on their own, but hand pollinating can increase fruit set as well as size and uniformity.
Size: 10-12’ wide x 8-12’ tall, with pruning
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Cold Hardy: 28 degrees
Harvest Season: Late summer-fall, sometimes winter
Watering requirements: Fairly drought tolerant once established. Reduce watering in winter months when dormant.
