The trees have very attractive leaves which are deep green above and a silky golden brown beneath and as the wind rustles the foliage this gives a strikingly beautiful effect. Trees can grow over a wide range of soils and are one of the few trees that actually grows well in highly alkaline soils, even at pH's up to 7.5. Tiny inconspicuous flowers are produced during the summer through early fall. Trees produce a delicious fruit too, and the fruits are born during the early to late spring. Both have very sweet whitish flesh which is very good and is usually eaten as a fresh fruit.
Trees grow rapidly, often three to four feet or more in a single growing season.
Propagation can be by seed, air layering, or grafting. One of the major problems to the widespread use of the star apple in Florida is its sensitivity to cold. It will get very badly damaged at 29 to 30 F and mature trees can be frozen to the ground by hard freezes. It cannot be planted close to salt water because it also has poor salt tolerance and should be protected by buildings or other more salt tolerant plantings if used close to the ocean or Intracoastal areas. There are no serious pest problems of trees except birds and other animals that attack maturing fruit.