Variety | Fruit Type | Months Harvest | Self-Fertile | Climate | Good Keeper | Preserving | Availability |
|---|
New Zealand cherimoya varieties
Cherimoya trees, also known as custard apple trees, are exotic fruit tree varieties that originated in the subtropical valleys of the Andes mountains in South America. These unique fruit trees produce incredibly sweet fruit with distinctive tropical flavors reminiscent of pineapple, banana, and passionfruit, making them prized additions to edible gardens in suitable New Zealand climates.
Unlike most deciduous fruit tree varieties, cherimoya trees are only briefly deciduous during spring, just before flowers and new foliage emerge. This makes them interesting fruit trees for home orchards as they maintain their structure for most of the year.
Cherimoya varieties are subtropical fruit trees that can handle light frosts, though they're not quite as hardy as avocados or lemons but somewhat more resilient than tamarillos. When planning your edible garden with cherimoya trees, consider their moderate cold tolerance - an important factor for our fruit tree selector recommendations. Young cherimoya trees benefit from frost cloth protection during their first few years in New Zealand conditions, while mature trees can withstand moderate frosts.
Growing cherimoya trees successfully requires excellent drainage, as these fruit tree varieties are susceptible to root rot and do not tolerate waterlogged conditions. Proper drainage is essential when incorporating cherimoya trees into your home orchard planning.
Cherimoya varieties typically ripen from August to November depending on the specific cultivar, providing late winter to spring fruit when many other fruit tree varieties are not producing. This extended harvest period makes them valuable additions to edible gardens for extending the fresh fruit season.
One of the advantages of cherimoya trees is their natural resistance to most pests and diseases, making them relatively low-maintenance fruit trees for home orchardists in New Zealand.
Use our fruit tree selector to determine if cherimoya varieties are suitable for your specific New Zealand climate zone and edible garden growing conditions.