Araticum, Pinha da Caatinga, Araticum-da-bahia
Annona vepretorum

Family: Annonaceae

What it is like

Araticum-da-bahia. Annona vepretorum. A tree that is small, evergreen, and can reach up to 3 - 10 m tall when fully matured, Annona vepretorumis is cultivated for its delicious fruits. It is found in the dry forests in South America, particularly in north-eastern Brazil. It is a slow-growing plant that is drought-tolerant when fully established. The fruit is edible with a pleasant, acid-sweet tasting pulp. The wood is light in weight, and of low resistance to insect attack.

Annona vepretorum is an evergreen Tree growing to 6 m (19ft) by 6 m (19ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 6

Where it is found

Found in the dry forests of northeastern Brazil, growing in well-drained soils in areas of denser tree growth,

S. America - northeastern Brazil.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Countries/locations it is found in

Coming Soon

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Fruit - raw. The gelatinous pulp has a pleasant, acid-sweet flavour . The fruit can be 10cm long, 6cm in diameter and weigh 250 - 350g .

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 2

Other uses rating: Low (2/5). Other Uses: Heartwood and sapwood are not clearly differentiated. The wood is light in weight, of low resistance to insect attack. Easily sawn, it is only used for low value items such as sawn boards and general packing containers.

Containers: Plants, such as gourds, that can be used as containers. Does not include baskets or containers made from wood.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

A plant of the 'Caatinga' dry forest region of northeast Brazil. The climate is hot and dry, there are usually 6 to 11 months without rain each year. The mean annual rainfall varies from 250 - 1,000mm, and the mean annual temperature is from 24 - 26c. Prefers a sunny position. Prefers a light, well-drained soil. Established plants are drought tolerant. Plants are quite slow-growing.

Propagating it: 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 individual containers in a lightly shaded position. Germination rates, even of scarified seeds, can be quite low, with the seeds sprouting within 80 - 120 days.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Araticum-da-bahia. Annona vepretorum.

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.