Improved Sugar Apples

Mike Tr starts with ...
Annona squamosa is found in tropical areas all over the world and in Australia we have the common green and a red that is probably not quite as good as the green.
There are a few around the world that are improved types with texture,taste,size and flesh yield that are superior.
Red Chewy,golden,mexican giant and big eyes are some of the notable types.
In the pictures are golden and the biggest gun of all 'big eyes'.

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1	Picture: 2

JohnMc1 says...
My Sugar Apple seedling from East Java is throwing out some flower buds. I'm very interested to try the fruit when it happens. This is it's third year from planting the seed. The seed was compliments of Fruitist from Brisbane.

Markmelb says...
Hi John - are they pollinating alone or with your help? I cant seem to get it right with my PM and PP :( Do you have any Cherimoyas - do they always look a bit soft and limpish in their leaves? I had my Sophia on a wall facing east and think it was getting too hot for it so put it into my Avo protected area for a while over summer.
I cant wait either to see if your seedlings fruit gets as big as those earlier pics - well done.

Markmelb says...
In anybodies experience - is the Paxton Prolific really a self fertile cultivar??

The poster formerly known as... says...
At maturity they self set heavily. I hand pollinate mine, so it bears as heavily as I think it can handle. Though mine set 3 fruit while still in its original pot before going in the ground.

JohnMc1 says...
Perfect technique Mark. You will see the ovary starting to swell as the male flower petals shrivel. It will be very pronounced within a week of a successful pollination.

JohnMc1 says...
I've never tried the green method but it's suppose to be quite successful. Just grafted a llama, (A. diversifolia) onto Cherimoya which is doing very well.

allybanana says...
John Mc1 wondering how it tastes?
When you mentioned the giant one are you talking about sugar apples or cherimoya.

JohnMc1 says...
Hi Ally, just went back through the thread looking for the word "giant" but couldn't see it. Anyway, the fruit I'm holding and about to pick is a large sugar apple, A.Squamosa. The sugar apples I saw in Indo were not much larger than golf balls, mine fills my hand completely, it's as large as a softball/baseball.

allybanana says...
Ive also had some mixed suprises with seedling Annon's lately two diggers seedling one sets decent fruit and the other refuses to set even with hand pollination.

These giant cherimoya seedling might be hit and miss, but that is what happens when people can import seeds but not scions, we all grow seedlings until someone gets a good one then then scion swap. I keep reading about these great get togeathers for fruit tree growers and scion swaps in the US but never in Austraila. Do you know of any such meets in Ausrtalia or is this forum and Australia post it for us.

allybanana says...
The red ilama sounds interesting and looks amazing with red flowers. I hope it tastes as good as it looks when it gets to maturity.

MIke T1 says...
That is a good looking specimen.The standard ones can occasionally get towards 1kg in the tropics.The season finished here a couple of months ago.

JohnMc1 says...
This one was from seed Fruitist sent me a few years ago, they came from E. Java. There will probably be a heap of seeds available if anyone is interested. I've taken some very late scions from this tree and grafted them onto A. atemoya and A. cherimoya, basically anything I had lying around. The cold might beat them at min of 11- 12°C this week, although temps will pick up before winter sets in.

kim14 says...
that looks scrumptious John. Are you also growing the Vino Tinto?

kim14 says...
I'd wanted to ask about their cold hardiness. Also the yellow Annona Reticulata. ;)

kim14 says...
I had a chance to glance over your pic in the over forum, but admit I didn't look... was looking for info on the vino and yellow. Looks great!! should fruit for you sooner rather than later. :D