Common Name: Pond Apple

General Information

Annona glabra is an evergreen or semi-deciduous tree usually growing around 3 - 8 metres tall, but occasionally up to 15 metres[, ]. The bole is rarely up to 50cm in diameter, often becoming somewhat enlarged or narrowly 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. Selected varieties have the potential for commercial fruit production, whilst 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[]. It is also sometimes grown as an ornamental[].
Annona glabra has a very wide range and is not believed to be under threat. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[].

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 that can be brackish, usually near the coast, and coastal mangrove swamps[, , ].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Annona glabra is a plant of the humid, lowland tropics[, , ]. The plant can survive occasional, short-lived, very light frosts with temperatures down to 0°c[].
Grows best in a sunny position[]. 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[].
Annona glabra was introduced into many areas of the world as a potential crop and rootstock for other commercial Annona species. It has proved to be invasive, mostly in and around the Pacific, and is an important wetland weed that also threatens mangroves. Unlike most pioneer species, however, it also invades relatively undisturbed areas. It has proved to be one of the worst weeds in Australia[, ].
The thick, reddish bark is very aromatic[].
Especially when planted in wet soils, young plants grow away rapidly[].
Trees can begin to flower and set fruit when two years old from seed[].

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 fruits contain an abundant, creamy-yellow pulp which is often insipid[]. 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 150mm long and 90mm in diameter, containing numerous light-brown seeds each up to 15mm long[, ].

Medicinal

The leaves are anthelmintic and antirheumatic[]. 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[].

An infusion of the leaves and the flowers is used to treat rheumatism, liver diseases, hepatitis etc[].

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

The fruit is used as a treatment for dysentery[]. A syrup made from the fruit is used to treat chest colds, dry coughs and tuberculosis[].

Agroforestry Uses:

This species is a naturally invasive, pioneer species; establishing itself both in open areas and relatively undisturbed areas. It is a very effective plant for restoring native woodland, though it should not be used as a pioneer outside of its native range because of the risk of invasiveness[, ].
The plant is not eaten by the Giant African snail, (Achatina fulica), and so it is planted as low dense hedges around desirable crops to prevent infestations of the snail[].

Other Uses

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

The seeds serve as insecticide[]. The molluscicidal properties of Annona spp,. including Annona glabra have been proven[].

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

The roots are quite long and thick, numerous, very light in weight and spongy,. They can be used as a cork substitute for purposes such as lifesavers, buoys on nets, shoe insoles , knife sharpeners etc, though they do not work as bottle stoppers because their extreme porosity does not allow them to retain liquids[].

The bark of the root is brownish, very fibrous, exhaling a pleasant aroma that could serve the perfumery industry[];

The sapwood and heartwood are not clearly demarcated. The dark brown wood has narrow, yellowish veins, it is very light in weight, soft, weak and easily sawn, moderately resistant to rot. It is used for making bottle stoppers, oars and as a substitute for cork in fishing nets[, , , , ]. The wood is docile to the brush but rebellious to the saw, suitable for carpentry, boxing and slats, being special for masts of small boats and for oars, thanks to its flexibility, but it is not yet used[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

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 from fresh seeds, with the seeds sprouting within 50 - 60 days[]. Seedlings are ready to plant out 7 - 8 months later[]. The seeds remain viable for several months when kept moist[].
Semi-ripe cuttings[].

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