Atemoyas in Phoenix anyone?

snowjunky · Joined: 03 Jun 2012 Posts: 4 Location: Phoenix, AZ

Do Atemoyas grow well and fruit here in Phoenix?
If so which variety are you successful with?
How big/old is your tree and how much fruit do you get?
Phoenixtropicals, how is your Geffner Atemoya doing?

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:08 pm Post subject:

Doing well, but still no fruit. It's been in the ground about 4 years. I recently planted a sugar apple and I'm hoping they can pollinate each other. I made a half hearted effort to self pollinate the atemoya a couple of times with no results.

snowjunky · Joined: 03 Jun 2012 Posts: 4 Location: Phoenix, AZ

Gefner is suppose to be self fertile. Do you think maybe it's not fruiting because of the low humidity? What time of year does it flower here? Do you know if anyone in Phoenix has a healthy fruiting atemoya?

I have space for either an Gefner atemoya, Sweetheart lychee or a Hasya Sapodilla. Just trying to make the right choice.

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:57 pm Post subject:

It flowers almost all summer, and in July its plenty humid so I'm not sure what the problem is. It could be just a matter of being the ground long enough. For example, my white sapote took 8 years to fruit.

Your best bet out of those 3 is the lychee.

ajbcirc · Joined: 13 Apr 2011 Posts: 97

Or better, get a kohala longan.

Kyle_Davis · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 45

It's great news to hear your atemoya is at least flowering PT. Two winters ago, mine got frozen to the ground (I think this was the 4th time), and it's around 7 years old. I finally had got it about 6-7' tall, and I put it under a thick cardboard box, but I did not add a heat source (my bad).

It's back up to around 4' tall now and looking healthy. If this winter is cold, I will make sure to not only cover it, but add a heat source so that it will make it. I think once it reaches a good 10' or taller it should be able to handle the heat better. I have to put up a shade cloth cover for mine in the summer or the leaves burn really badly. I have no idea the variety? It was a seed I planted I got from a fruit while I was in California. I'll get a picture in the next day or so and post it.

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 11:28 pm Post subject:

A seedling atemoya. Interesting.

Kyle_Davis · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 45

Here are some pics I took of it today.

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And I think this was from before it froze to the ground.

Bkaus · Joined: 31 Jul 2012 Posts: 136 Location: North Phoenix

Great looking plant Kyle! My Atemoyas plant is still small and in a pot.

When shopping at Sprouts two weeks ago they had some Atemoyas for sell and brought one it was fantastic. First time to eat one went back a week later and they had more they also tasted great.

Kyle_Davis · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 45

They sold ripe ones at Sprouts?? Wow! I got some cherimoya's at Lee Lee about a week ago.. They were NOT ripe, and did not ripen up correctly. I Was bummed. There was only two in the package, but neither of them ripened up correctly. They started to turn brown on the outside, but the inside was still very rubbery and not sweet like they should be.

I will be adding some wood chips to the base of my plant today.

Hey PT, I have a question.. do you trim your Atemoya at all, to encourage growth into one or two main branches, or do you just let it grow anyway it wants?

Bkaus · Joined: 31 Jul 2012 Posts: 136 Location: North Phoenix

It was amazing the first one perfectly ripe. The next two took 2 days and they were perfect. It was one of the best tropical fruits I have eaten Very Happy

Kyle_Davis · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 45

Ok. I'm going to text my wife RIGHT NOW and ask her to visit our local spourts when she wakes up. Smile

Bkaus · Joined: 31 Jul 2012 Posts: 136 Location: North Phoenix

Last week and the week before was on a Thursday and they were in stock when back on a Friday and they were gone. Going to the store tonight hope they have some more. At my store they are right next to the spiky melons next to the apples.

OOPS my memory is off it was a cherimoya at Sprouts.

Sorry for the wrong info.

Everything in the above posts were about the cherimoya.

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 10:38 pm Post subject:

I don't trim my atemoya. Just let it grow.

Kyle_Davis · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 45

I went ahead and mulched it really good (I haven't done that in a few years) and watered it. There is a chance my tree is more of a sugar apple, and not an atemoyas.. So I don't know how well it will do with our cold.

Maybe if I can grow it tall/big enough it will be able to take it? Or I'll just have to be better about adding a heat source under it in the winter with a frost cloth?