Common Name: Marolo

General Information

Annona crassiflora is a deciduous shrub or a small tree with a dense, elongate crown; it can grow 4 - 8 metres tall. The corky bole is usually crooked and can be 20 - 30cm in diameter[, ].
The fruit is widely appreciated. It is often gathered from the wild for local use, and is increasingly being sold in local markets[, ]. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental and a street tree[].
Annona crassiflora has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major
threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[].

Known Hazards

The seeds are toxic[].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Paraguay, central, eastern and northern Brazil.

Habitat

Semi-arid scrublands and barren lands[]. Savannahs, especially on sandy soils[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	6.00 m
Pollinators	Beetles, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position in a light sandy soil[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
A slow-growing tree[].
The corky bark helps the tree to resist fires[].
There is a form of this species where the fruit has a red pulp and has a sweeter flavour[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, ]. The flesh is fibrous, succulent and sweet, with a strong, pleasant aroma[, ]. A white pulp that is pleasant smelling but insipid according to another report, which also says that there is a variety with a red pulp that is tastier with a sweeter flavour[]. The pulp can be eaten fresh or used to flavour drinks, ice creams, etc[, ]. The fruit is about 16cm long x 20cm wide[].
The pulp of the fruit is so aromatic that it imparts a spicy odour to the urine of those who eat of it in abundance[].

Medicinal

The flesh of the berries is said to be laxative[]. The fruit will only be very gently laxative, if at all[].

The seeds are used in the treatment of snakebite[].

A medical tea is made from the seeds and leaves[].

The above records from [] were for the species Annona crassifolia Mart. However, this species does not appear in the 'Flora do Brasil' and I am fairly certain that it is a mis-spelling for this species - Annona crassiflora Mart[].

Other Uses

The bark can be used as a cork substitute for making floats etc[].

The wood is light in weight, soft, with low mechanical properties and not very durable in natural conditions. Easy to work, it can be used for low value items such as boxes and fillings for doors and panels[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a very hard outer layer and germinates much more easily if scarified[]. 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. Sow the seeds in a nursery seedbed in a lightly shaded position. Germination rates of scarified seeds are usually above 50%[].

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