Common name: Cherimoya.

Scientific name: Annona cherimola Mill.

Family: Annonaceae

Distribution and Habitat: Its origins are Peru and Equador. In the Madeira Island this fruit tree has been cultivated for a long time. Apparently, the first known tree of the island resulted from the seeds of a fruit brought from Brazil. In Funchal and its surroundings it is possible to see it in a subspontaneous state.

Description: This tree may reach 10 m in height. Its trunk is cylindrical with thick and smooth bark or scarcely visible greyish green grooves. Its branches are dense and the leaves with 10 to 25 cm in length are oval or eliptic and silky. The blossoms are solitary or gathered in small groups of 2 to 4, they hermaphroditic, aromatic and are 2,5 cm in length. The fruit, the custard apple, may be heart-shaped, conic or irregular, with a smooth reticulate epidermis or small protuberances, it has a light green colouration. The pulp is white, creamy, and juicy with a high nutritional value.

Conservation statute and Threats: -

Observations: Blooming season is usually from May to July.