The atemoya, Annona × cherimoya, or Annona squamosa × Annona cherimola is a hybrid of two fruits – the sugar-apple (Annona squamosa) and the cherimoya (Annona cherimola) – which are both native to the American tropics. This fruit is popular in Taiwan, where it is known as the "pineapple sugar apple"
The atemoya, Annona × cherimoya, or Annona squamosa × Annona cherimola is a hybrid of two fruits – the sugar-apple (Annona squamosa) and the cherimoya (Annona cherimola) – which are both native to the American tropics. This fruit is popular in Taiwan, where it is known as the "pineapple sugar apple" (鳳梨釋迦), so is sometimes wrongly believed to be a cross between the sugar-apple and the pineapple. In Cuba, it is known as anón, and in Venezuela chirimorinon. In Israel and Lebanon, the fruit is called achta, but in Israel, it is more common to call the fruit Annona as Latin. In Tanzania it is called stafeli dogo ("mini soursop"). In Brazil, the atemoya became popular and in 2011, around 1,200 hectares of atemoia were cultivated in Brazil.
An atemoya is normally heart-shaped or rounded, with pale-green, easily bruised, bumpy skin. Near the stem, the skin is bumpy as it is in the sugar-apple but becomes smoother like the cherimoya on the bottom. The flesh is not segmented like that of the sugar apple, bearing more similarity to that of the cherimoya. It is very juicy and smooth, tasting slightly sweet and a little tart, reminiscent of a piña colada. The taste also resembles vanilla from its sugar-apple parent. Many inedible, toxic, black seeds are found throughout the flesh of the atemoya. When ripe, the fruit can be scooped out of the shell and eaten chilled.
Atemoya (Annona cherimola × squamosa) was developed by crossing cherimoya (A. cherimola) with sugar-apple (A. squamosa). Natural hybrids have been found in Venezuela and chance hybrids were noted in adjacent sugar apple and cherimoya groves in Israel during the 1930s and 1940s.
The first cross was made in 1908 by P.J. Wester, a horticulturist at the USDA's Subtropical Laboratory in Miami. The resulting fruits were of superior quality to the sugar-apple and were given the name "atemoya", a combination of ate, an old Mexican name for sugar-apple, and "moya" from cherimoya. Subsequently, in 1917, Edward Simmons at Miami's Plant Introduction Station successfully grew hybrids that survived a drop in temperature to 26.5 °F (−3.1 °C), showing atemoya's hardiness derived from one of its parents, the cherimoya.
The atemoya, like other Annona trees, bears protogynous, hermaphroditic flowers, and self-pollination is rare. Therefore, artificial, hand pollination almost always guarantees superior quality fruits. One variety, 'Geffner', produces well without hand pollination. 'Bradley' also produces fair crops without hand pollination, but the fruit has a habit of splitting on the tree.[6] Atemoyas are sometimes misshapen, underdeveloped on one side, as the result of inadequate pollination.
An atemoya flower, in its female stage, opens between 2:00 and 4:00 pm; between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm on the following afternoon, the flower converts to its male stage.
V 10 AAC (3 S)
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Data sheet
Handpicked seeds ?
Handpicked seeds
Organic Seeds ?
Organic Seeds
Organic/natural ?
Organic/Natural: Yes
Edible ?
Edible
Germination ?
Germination rate 85%
Pretreatment of sowing ?
Soak in water before sowing: 24-48 h
Sowing depth ?
Sowing depth 2 cm
Life Cycle:
Perennial plant : Yes
Resistant to cold and frost ?
Resistant to cold and frost : -3° C
Plant is suitable for growing ?
The plant is suitable for growing on a balcony-terrace
<h2 class=""><strong>Velvet raisin, wild currant, seeds (Grewia flava)</strong></h2>
<h2><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Price is for a package of 10 seeds.</strong></span></h2>
<div>Grewia flava is a hardy shrub or small tree, 2–4 m tall. The grey bark on the young branches, which is usually covered with thick-growing but quite short hairs, tends to turn dark grey and becomes smooth the older the tree gets; this is also noticeable on the stems. The greyish-green leaves are alternately arranged and are covered in fine hairs and it appears to be a lighter shade of green on the underside of the leaves. The apex (tip of the leaves) is rounded, whereas the margin is serrated. Three conspicuous veins from the leaf base are characteristic of this tree; a 2 mm long leaf stalk is also very noticeable.</div>
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<div>The flowers appear in branched heads from early summer until mid-autumn (October to March) and are about 10–15 mm in diameter.</div>
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<div>The 2-lobed fruit is ± 8 mm in diameter, green, turning reddish-brown when ripe. The sapwood appears to be light and the hardwood is brown, with a fine texture.</div>
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<div>The leaves and fruits are enjoyed by domestic stock, as well as wild animals such as Kudu and Giraffe and a large variety of birds.</div>
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<h3><strong>Uses</strong></h3>
<div>The bark of the brandybush was often used to manufacture rope. The fruits are still used to enhance a kind of brandy or ‘mampoer’. The sweet vitamin C-enriched fruit can be enjoyed on its own as well. Traditionally porridge was prepared from the dried fruit after processing it into flour. The wood is hard and fine-grained and is used for sticks. Earlier hunters, like the San community, used to make their bows and arrows from the branches of this plant.</div>
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<h3><strong>Growing Grewia flava</strong></h3>
<div>This plant will grow best in well-drained soil and in a full sun position. It is quite safe to be planted near paved areas in the domestic garden, seeing that it does not have an aggressive root system. Because of the abundance of flowers, it can be successfully used as a focal point in the garden.</div>
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<div>The plant is quite hardy and can withstand frost. Over-watering should be avoided when the plant is established.</div>
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<div>The best propagation method is by seeds. Select fresh seeds, clean them and dry them in a well-ventilated shady area. Soak the seeds in water for at least 24 hours, the initial water must be hot water. Sow the seeds in seedling trays and cover it about 5 mm deep; use only river sand as the growth medium. Place the trays in a warm sheltered area. Do not let the growing medium dry out. A constant moisture level needs to be maintained for successful germination. The germination of the seeds is usually inconsistent, a success rate of about 50–70 % has been observed. Seedlings can be planted out into containers when they reach the 2-leaf stage.</div>