KA BOOOM

Cherimoya is deciduous shrub or small tree that reaches up to 7 m tall. The tree flourishes in the coastal lowlands of Ecuador; is rare above 5,000 ft (1,500 m). In Guatemala, it is nearly always found below 4,000 ft (1,220 m It is sensitive to frost and must have periods of cool temperatures or the tree will gradually go dormant. It is cultivated in many places throughout the Americas, including California. Cherimoya's prefer a summer temperature of 65-80F, and a winter temperature of 41-65F. Cherimoya an be grown by seed, grafting, and air layering. Seedlings with 70F bottom heat germinate in about 21 days. Without heat, seeds may take 1-2 months for germination. Flowers are almost never pollinated by their own pollen, and without proper pollinators which do not exist outside its native range, cherimoya's must be hand pollinated. Pollen is generally collected from a few male flowers and stored in a small bag while it is used to pollinate female flowers. Pollen cannot be stored for more than a few hours before it loses viability. Flowers bloom from late winter to early summer, followed by fruit which ripen from October to May. Fruits are large, from 4-8" long, and sometimes weighing over 5 pounds. Harvest fruits when skin turns slightly yellow or pale green, or when skin gives a little to touch. The soil should be a porous medium that retains some moisture, but also maintains air pockets within its structure. It does best in low-lying, deep, rich soil with ample moisture and good drainage. A peat-based soil mix with sand or perlite added is appropriate. Soil pH requirements 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral). The seed of this fruit are poisonous and can be used to kill insects.