Cherimoya, Annona cherimola, is the highland cousin of sitaphal, a heart-shaped green fruit with creamy, sweet flesh that tastes of banana, pineapple and vanilla. Mark Twain called it deliciousness itself. It comes from the Andes and needs a mild, frost-free climate, so in India it is rare and limited to a few hill gardens. Its seeds are toxic.
- Botanical name
- Annona cherimola Mill.
- Family
- Annonaceae
- Tamil
- Cherimoya
- Hindi
- Cherimoya
- Parts used
- Ripe fruit
- Habit
- Cherimoya; custard apple is a shop word
- Last updated
- 2026-10-30
How to recognise Cherimoya
It is a small, spreading, partly deciduous tree with velvety young shoots and oval leaves.
Flowers are fragrant, pale green to yellow, with fleshy petals, and hang singly or in pairs.
The fruit is heart-shaped to round, green, with a skin of overlapping scale-like or fingerprint-like impressions.
Inside is white, creamy, custard-like flesh with large, black, hard seeds. Sitaphal, Annona squamosa, has knobbly segments that break apart.
Ripe fruit gives slightly to gentle pressure and the skin turns a duller green.
Traditional use of Cherimoya
Andean food
Cherimoya is eaten fresh, chilled and scooped with a spoon, or blended into drinks and ice creams in Peru, Ecuador and Spain.
Andean and Spanish food practice
Modern notes on Cherimoya
The fruit is rich in vitamin C, B vitamins and fibre.
The seeds contain annonacin, a neurotoxin, and should not be crushed or eaten.
Cherimoya safety
Eat the flesh and discard the seeds without crushing them.
Ecology and sourcing
It is native to the Andean valleys of Ecuador and Peru, at moderate altitude.
Its natural pollinators are often absent outside its range, so growers hand-pollinate flowers with a brush.
It is grown commercially in Spain, Chile, Peru and California.
It needs cool nights and warm days without frost, conditions found at mid-elevation in the tropics.
Related plants
Also in Annonaceae
Questions about Cherimoya
Is Cherimoya sitaphal?
No. Sitaphal is Annona squamosa.
Are the seeds of Cherimoya safe?
No. They are toxic.
Does Cherimoya grow in India?
Only rarely, in a few mild hill areas.
How is Cherimoya eaten?
Chilled, cut in half and scooped with a spoon, discarding the seeds.
Sources
- Annona cherimola Mill. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q158986 (Annona cherimola)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.