Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-11
CUSTARD APPLES IN HAWAII Theme
Of ARTICLE by PROF. MACCAUGHEY

QuctlOn. II Is small Tree ndIlFe u
the west coast Of Mexico, to Salvador
and is called llama" or "ilamatza
poll" The fruit is about six inches
long and five inches broad, shaped and
marked like a pineapple cheese. 1t is
covered with a dense gray, felt-like
| tomentum; the flesh Is cream or rose
eolored and very finely favored. This
species has been introduced init
southern Florida.
The Florida alligator apple, Ammonia
glabra l., may be mentioned at this
point, as a very promising stock for
the Sour-sop, cherimoya, and custard
! apple. 1t is a small to medium-sized
tree, inhabiting swamps and marshy
streamways in Florida, tropical Am
! erica, the West Indies, the Galapagos
Islands, and the west coast Of Africa
1t has a wider natural distribution
than any other species in the genus,
Other names are mamon, mangrove
ammonia, pond apple, ccrdwood. The
light, spongy roots Of this species ar
| used as substitute for cork. The
fruit is smooth, the size and shape OF
an apple; the flesh is of buttery con
sistency, and very sweet, sometimes
cloying. 1t is ve"y common in the
markets of Mexico City, but the fruit
does not seem to be valued in Florida
The second species that is abundant
in the Hawaiian islands IS the cheri.
moya, Ammonia cherimolia Mill, also
known as broad-ieaved custard apple
Jamaica apple, H:atzapLt, cherimoyer
etc. 1t is Indigenous to Ecuador, Co
lombia, and Central America, but had
been widely distributed throughout
warm countries - Italy, southern
France, Spain, northern Africa, Ceylon,
Queensland, Florida, and southern
California. II was introduced into the
Hawaiian Islands in very early times,
and is now naturalized, particularly in
certain parts of the kona and Ka-u
districts, on the island Of Hawaii The
cherimoya is essentially a sub-tropical
fruit, and does not give good results In
low tropical countries. 1t occurs In
perfection on the great central pla
teau Of Mexico. It's two most import
ant climatic requirements are free
dom from excessive humidity, and cool
weather at the time of ripening. I
The cherimoya Is a tree ten to
twenty-five feet high, with spreading
branches and fulvo-tomentose young
growth. The leaves are dark green,
shining ovate, or obovate, sometimes
elliptical; sparsely hairy above, per
sistently Velvety beneath; the apex Is
obtuse or obtusely acuminate, the base
is rounded. The flowers are greenish,
ORo oxrfl
opposite leaf at the base Of branch.
let; usually solitary, but sometimes
two or three on short nodding tomen.
tose peduncles. The exterior petals are
oblong-linear, about an inch long,
keeled on the inside and excayated at
the base; grecnish-Yellow on the out.
side and covered with fine tomentum:
pale yellowish or whitish within, and
marked with q purple spot at the
base. The inner petals are small
squamose, oyate or triangular; usually
flesh-colered or purple, and keeled on
the outside. IL. 49,. ..s~-.>, -
"Tfe fruit is about the size Of a
large orange, and variable in shape.
It may be conoid, heartshaped, or
oblate. The young fruit is covered
with brown tomentum. When ripe the
rfnd is gray-green, smooth or slightly
areolate, sometimes having the ap.
pearance Of putty marked by finger
prints. The carpets may. be depress.
ed, smooth, o. raised, sometimes
knobby. The flesh is white, soft.
richly favored and pleasantly acidu-
lous. II is said that fruits Of exquisite
flavor are produced in Madeira, where
the trees are trained on trellises. This
species has given excellent response
to cultivation in southern California.
The cherimoyas are rarely seen In the
Honolulu markets, but occur in many
private gardens. There has been no
commercial exploitation of the fruit
The third species, Ammonia reticu.
lata l., is not very common In the
islands, but may be found here and
there In private gardens and old
estates. This Is the true custard.
apple, also known as bulIock's heart,
corazon, mamon, anonas, and quaint.
zapotL It Is a native of the West In
dies and tropical America, and Is now
grown in many tropical countries. II
las bCCu CuItINdlcu SUCCESSFULLY =
southern Florida and southern Cali.
fornia. ID =:
The tree is ten to twenty-five feet
high, and in some regions is deciduous.
The young growth is fulYotomentose
The leaves are lanceolate or oblong
lanceolate; apex acuminate; glabrata
above, sometimes rough beneath; light
green and rather brittle. The flowers
are yellowish or greenish, with purple
spots; they occur in extra-axillary
clusters Of several, emerging from the
new branchlets; peduncles nodding.
The outer petals are fleshy, oblong.
linear, keeled on the inside and exca.
waited at the base, oliye-green or vel.
lowish, usually stained with purple
within, and with a dark. purple bloteh
at the base. The inner petals are very
small. scale-like, oyate, and acute.
The carpets are distinct; the ovaries
covered with pale brown silky hairs.
at length uniting to form solid fruit.
"The custard-apple fruit, when ma.
ture, bears striking superficial re.
semblanee to q large heart, hence the
name buHock's heart. II is three to
five inches In diameter. The rind is
smooth, with small rhomboid or hex.
agonal areoles. II changes in colo.
from pinkinsh yellow through to red
dish brown, and is covered with q
rIrkSA kg,h 4 49, .l1N,w IL.