Common Name: Pond Apple

General Information

Annona glabra is an evergreen tree growing up to 13 metres tall[, ]. The bole is rarely up to 50cm in diameter, often somewhat enlarged or buttressed at the base[].
The edible fruit is often harvested from the wild and used locally, whilst the tree has local medicinal uses and is a source of various materials. The plant is also occasionally cultivated in tropical South America (Venezuela), W Africa (Ghana), Asia (China, Malaysia, Philippines) and USA (Florida) as rootstock for other Annona species when grown in wet soils[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Coastal regions of tropical and subtropical South and Central America to Florida and the West Indies.

Habitat

Humid lowland areas, usually near the coast, and coastal mangrove swamps[, ].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	13.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Beetles
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the humid, lowland tropics[, , ]. The plant can survive occasional, short-lived, very light frosts with temperatures down to 0°c[].
Prefers a moist sandy loam and a pH of about 6[]. This species tolerates wetter conditions than most other members of the genus[]. The plant can succeed in places where the soil is inundated for weeks at a time[]. Succeeds in marshy areas with saline water[].
This species has become a seriously invasive weed in parts of Australia[].
Especially when planted in wet soils, young plants grow away rapidly[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. The pulp is eaten raw or made into jellies or drinks[, ]. Best eaten when fully ripe and soft[]. Highly fragrant[, ]. Slightly sweet, but insipid[, , ]. It is a kind of survival food[]. The flesh is usually palatable, but often pales in comparison to some other species in the genus. Some trees do produce nice fruits, however, and the species has its admirers[]. The fruit can be up to 15cm x 9cm[].

Medicinal

The leaves and young stems, sometimes combined with the leaves and stems of Passiflora foetida, are boiled to make a tea which is drunk to destroy flatworms and nematodes[].

The bark and the leaves, combined with the bark and leaves of Annona squamosa, are used as a sedative and cardiotonic infusion[].

Other Uses

Seedlings are useful as a rootstock for other Annona species in wet soils[, ].

The seeds serve as insecticide[].

A useful fibre is obtained from the bark. It is sometimes used locally[].

The sapwood and heartwood are not clearly demarcated. The brown wood is light in weight, soft and easily sawn, moderately resistant to rot. It is used for making bottle stoppers, oars and as a substitute for cork in fishing nets[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. The plant usually breeds true to type[]. Sow in individual pots, not deeper than 2cm, at 21c[]. Seeds may be sown directly into the field or in a nursery bed[]. A germination rate of 60 - 70% can be expected, with the seeds sprouting within 50 - 60 days[]. Seedlings are ready to plant out 7 - 8 months later[].
Semi-ripe cuttings[].

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