Description: SARTENAYA, OR ANNONA RETICULATA BELONGS TO THE ANNONACEAE FAMILY (FRUITS SUCH AS SOUR SOP) GOES BY MANY NAMES THAT INCLUDES BULLOCK'S HEART, CUSTARD APPLE, SUGAR APPLE, ANONA COLORADO, ANONA ROSADA, CORAZON ETC. THE NAME OF THIS VARIETY IS DEPENDENT ON THE COUNTRY WHERE IT IS FOUND SO THE NAME MAY VARY FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY. THE CUSTARD APPLE TREE IS AN EVERGREEN, DECIDUOUS FRUITING TREE THAT WILL DROP LEAVES DURING COLDER TEMPERATURES AND IS NOT COLD TOLERANT UNLESS WELL ESTABLISHED AND MORE MATURE. EVEN THE MORE MATURE TREES WILL ONLY TOLERATE SHORT PERIODS OF COLD. FOR THIS REASON, IT IS BEST TO GROW SARTENAYA IN USDA ZONES 10-11 AND ANYWHERE THAT SUGAR APPLES CAN THRIVE. ANNONA RETICULATA IS A VARIETY THAT IS NATIVE TO THE ANTILLES BUT CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN BELIZE AND GUATAMALA AND HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO REGIONS IN THE AMERICAN TROPICS AS WELL AS SOUTHEAST ASIA. THE TREE THRIVES BEST IN RICH, MOIST, WELL DRAINED SOIL ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS TO BE ADAPTABLE TO SANDY SOILS HERE IN FLORIDA. CUSTARD APPLE NATURALLY GROWS LOW, WITH AN OPEN AND IRREGULAR CROWN BUT IS MORE STURDY THAN SOME OF THE OTHER ANNONA'S. LIKE MOST TREES THAT ARE ALLOWED TO GROW UNCHECKED, SARTENAYA CAN GROW UP TO 20 OR MORE FEET TALL OVER TIME AND OR UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS. THE FRUIT IS MEDIUM TO LARGE SIZED, WEIGHING UP TO 2 LBS OR MORE. FRUIT IS GENERALLY HEART SHAPED TO SPHERICAL AND HAS A THIN SKIN WITH A WAXY, SHINY RED SURFACE AND PINK, CREAMY, AROMATIC FLESH. THE FLAVOR, TEXTURE AND TASTE IS AWESOME AND CAN EASILY BECOME ADDICTIVE. SARTENAYA, ALTHOUGH OFTEN GRAFTED, IS GENERALLY PROPAGATED FROM SEEDS AND WILL PRODUCE OFFSPRING THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PARENT TREE IN BOTH SIZE AND FLAVOR DEPENDING ON YOUR LOCATION, SOIL AND WEATHER CONDITIONS. GROWING SARENTAYA CAN BE EASILY DONE IF YOU HAVE GROWN COMMON SUGAR APPLE SINCE THEY BOTH BELONG TO THE SAME FAMILY. CUSTARD APPLES SUCH AS SARTENAYA GROW BEST IN TROPICAL TO SUBTROPICAL CLIMATES BUT CAN BE GROWN IN NORTHERN LOCALES PROVIDED YOU HAVE A GREEN HOUSE SINCE THE TREE IS COLD SENSITIVE. FRUITING SEASON IN FLORIDA IS SOMETIME BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY. FRUIT IS HARVESTED WHEN THE SKIN BECOMES A DARK PINK TO LIGHT RED WHILE THE FRUIT IS STILL HARD IF SQUEEZED. FRUIT IS READY FOR EATING WHEN THE FLESH GIVES WITH A GENTLE SQUEEZE. PLEASE NOTE THAT I PREFER NOT TO SHIP TO HAWAII, PUERTO RICO, OR INTERNATIONALLY DUE TO THE RISK OF THE PLANT NOT SURVIVING THE JOURNEY. IF YOU WISH TO COVER THE COST OF EXPEDITED SHIPPING PLEASE MESSAGE ME FIRST BEFORE MAKING THE PURCHASE SO WE CAN DISCUSS SHIPPING OPTIONS. I DO NOT WANT TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR LOSSES DUE TO USPS OR OTHER SHIPPING CARRIER SERVICES THAT DO NOT DELIVER ON TIME RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF YOUR SEEDLING(S). FOR THIS REASON, EXPEDITED SHIPPING IS OFTEN A BETTER CHOICE FOR OVERSEAS DELIVERIES. PLEASE PLANT YOUR CUSTARD APPLE SEEDLING AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE IT. DO NOT EXPOSE YOUR YOUNG SEEDLING TO FULL SUN OR YOU WILL BURN IT'S LEAVES AND KILL YOUR PLANT. DO NOT REMOVE IT FROM THE BIODEGRADABLE CONTAINER OR YOU WILL RISK SHOCKING OR KILLING YOUR TENDER YOUNG PLANT. THE BIODEGRADABLE CONTAINER WILL BREAK DOWN OVER TIME AS THE ROOT SYSTEM OF YOUR PLANT DEVELOPS. ENSURE THAT THE SOIL/ROOT SYSTEM IS STILL MOIST/WET, PRIOR TO PLANTING. IF NOT PLEASE HYDRATE YOUR PLANT WITH DISTILLED, RAIN, SPRING OR REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER. NEVER USE CHLORINATED WATER ON YOUNG PLANTS, SOME PLANTS DON'T TOLERATE IT WELL. KEEP YOUR YOUNG SEEDLING IN 60% SHADED CONDITIONS IN AN AREA THAT IS WIND FREE OR YOUNG LEAVES MAY BURN IF YOUR SUNLIGHT IS INTENSE. THE ANNONA'S DO NOT TOLERATE COLD OR WINDY CONDITIONS WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG OR YOU WILL LOSE LEAVES. CUSTARD APPLE IS A SELF POLLINATING, RAPID GROWING MEMBER OF THE ANNONACEAE FAMILY THAT CAN GROW ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 20 FT TALL BUT HAS BEEN KNOW TO GROW UP TO 35 FEET TALL UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS (YOUR RESULT MAY VARY) IN AREAS WHERE GOOD IRRIGATION OR ABUNDANT RAINFALL IS AVAILABLE. WHEN GROWN FROM SEEDLINGS, CUSTARD APPLE HAS A RELATIVELY FAST GROWTH RATE MAKING GAINS OF AS MUCH AS 10 FEET PER YEAR AND MAY BEAR FRUIT IN AS LITTLE AS 2 1/2 TO 4 YEARS DEPENDING ON YOUR CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH CAPABLE OF THRIVING IN A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SOILS, IT SEEMS TO DO BEST IN DEEP, RICH ORGANIC SOILS IN CONDITIONS THAT ARE WARM AND HUMID WITH NO PERIODS OF DROUGHT OR COLDER TEMPERATURES BELOW 40 F FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. THE FRUIT IS SOMEWHAT VARIABLE IN SHAPE AND SIZE RANGING FROM SPHERICAL TO HEART SHAPED AND CAN GROW UP TO 6 INCHES OR MORE IN DIAMETER AND UP TO 2.5 LBS OR MORE IN WEIGHT. THE SURFACE OF THE FRUIT IS MOSTLY SMOOTH AND SOMEWHAT WAXY. FRUIT SHOULD BE PICKED BY CUTTING THE FRUIT WITH A SECTION OF THE STEM STILL ATTACHED TO THE FRUIT AS SOON AS IT BEGINS TO TURN FROM A DARK SHINY GREEN TO A PINK COLORATION. IF HARVESTED AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, CUSTARD APPLE WILL TAKE FROM 2 to 3 DAYS ON AVERAGE TO RIPEN BUT IF NOT REFRIGERATED IT WILL ONLY HAVE A SHORT SHELF LIFE OF PERHAPS SEVERAL DAYS ONCE RIPENING IS COMPLETE. THE SHELF LIFE MAY BE EXTENDED BY SEVERAL DAYS IF REFRIGERATED. THE FLAVOR OF CUSTARD APPLE IS ABSOLUTELY DECADENT. SOME DISCRIBE IT AS HAVING SUBTLE HINTS OF BANANA OR PINEAPPLE IN A CREAMY CUSTARD LIKE PULP. NUMEROUS BLACK SEEDS ARE SURROUNDED BY THE EDIBLE FRUIT WHICH IS USUALLY EATEN OUT OF HAND BUT CAN ALSO BE USED TO MAKE MILK SHAKES WHEN COMBINED WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM AND OR MILK. SOIL: ALTHOUGH CUSTARD APPLE CAN BE GROWN IN CALCAREOUS SOIL WHICH IS ABUNDANT HERE IN FLORIDA, IT DOES BEST IN A DEEP LOAM THAT IS RICH IN ORGANIC MATTER AND WELL DRAINED SO THE PLANT WILL THRIVE. IF YOUR SOIL IS POOR YOU MAY AMEND IT BY DIGGING A DEEP HOLE AND MIXING RICH COMPOST IN WITH YOUR NATIVE SOIL. MULCHING THE BASE OF YOUR PLANT IS VERY HELPFUL TO RETAIN MOISTURE CONTENT IN THE SOIL ESPECIALLY IF YOUR TEMPERATURES ARE EXCEEDINGLY HOT AND DRY. THE IDEAL SOIL PH SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 5.5 AND 6.5 BUT IN GENERAL CUSTARD APPLE IS VERY ADAPTABLE TO MOST SOIL TYPES AS LONG AS YOUR SOIL IS NOT SOGGY/WATER LOGGED, CLAY RICH OR EXCESSIVELY SANDY. WATERING: CUSTARD APPLE IS RELATIVELY DROUGHT TOLERANT BUT MUCH LESS DROUGHT TOLERANT THAN SUGAR APPLE SO IT IS BEST TO PROVIDE REGULAR WATERING TO ENSURE THAT YOUR TREE WILL THRIVE. THE AMOUNT OF IRRIGATION NECESSARY WILL BE DEPENDENT ON HOW HOT AND OR DRY YOUR CONDITIONS MIGHT BE. IN GENERAL THE SOIL BENEATH YOUR PLANT SHOULD FEEL MOIST IF YOU DRILL YOUR MIDDLE FINGER DEEP INTO THE SOIL ABOUT 4 INCHES AWAY FROM THE TRUNK OF YOUR PLANT. ALWAYS CHECK THE TOPSOIL OF YOUR PLANT FOR DRYNESS WHICH CAN GIVE YOU AN INDICATION OF THE NEED FOR WATERING. APPLYING A 2 TO 3 INCH LAYER OF GOOD ORGANIC MULCH AROUND YOUR PLANT IS VERY HELPFUL AND BENEFICIAL TO KEEP THE ROOTS OF YOUR PLANT MOIST. KEEP MULCH AWAY FROM THE TRUNK OF YOUR TREE TO AVOID FUNGAL GROWTH WHICH MIGHT KILL YOUR YOUNG SEEDLING. MULCH SHOULD BE KEPT AT LEAST 4 INCHES AWAY FROM THE TRUNK OF YOUR TENDER YOUNG PLANT TO HELP PREVENT TRUNK ROT WHICH CAN KILL YOUR PLANT. AS YOUR PLANT BECOMES MORE MATURE AND THE ROOT SYSTEM EXPANDS YOU SHOULD CONTINUE PROVIDING REGULAR WATERING. LIKE SUGAR APPLE, CUSTARD APPLE THRIVES WITH REGULAR IRRIGATION ESPECIALLY IF YOUR WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXCESSIVELY HOT AND OR DRY. SUNLIGHT: CUSTARD APPLE GROWS BEST WHERE SUNLIGHT IS ABUNDANT AS LONG AS YOUR TREE IS MATURE AND NOT AT THE SEEDLING STAGE. MATURE TREES ARE AT LEAST 3 TO 5 FEET TALL AND HAVE LOTS OF GREEN FOLIAGE SO THAT THE TREE IS MAKING MORE LEAVES THAN IT IS LOSING OVER TIME. AVOID INTENSE SUNLIGHT WHILE YOUR PLANT IS A TENDER SEEDLING OR LEAVES WILL BURN! AN AREA THAT IS RELATIVELY WELL PROTECTED FROM EXCESSIVE WIND IS A PLUS BECAUSE YOUNG BRANCHES AND LEAVES CAN BE VERY TENDER, SNAPPING EASILY IN HEAVY WINDS. CUSTARD APPLE IS TOLERANT OF PARTIAL SHADE, BUT WELL ESTABLISHED MATURE TREES NEED A MINIMUM OF AT LEAST 6 TO 8 HRS OF FULL SUNLIGHT TO PROMOTE GROWTH. CLIMATE: ALTHOUGH THESE ARE FAIRLY HARDY PLANTS THEY PREFER A MORE TROPICAL TO SUBTROPICAL WEATHER PATTERN. THEY ARE CAPABLE OF RESISTING MODERATE CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE PATTERNS BUT CAN STILL SUFFER IF EXTENDED PERIODS OF EITHER SEVERE COLD/FROST OR EXTREME HEAT WITH LACK OF WATER BECOMES A PROBLEM. GROWING THEM IN NURSERY POTS IS A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR NORTHERN CLIMATES. CONTAINER GROWN CUSTARD APPLE ALLOWS YOU TO BRING YOUR PLANT INTO A GREEN HOUSE OR WARM PATIO AREA WITH A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE SUNLIGHT TO PROMOTE GROWTH UNTIL THE RETURN OF WARMER WEATHER. SARTENAYA CUSTARD APPLE MAY NOT BE VERY PRODUCTIVE IN A CONTAINER. UNLIKE SUGAR APPLE, SARTENAY MAY NEED TO BE IN THE GROUND TO PRODUCE DECENT QUALITY FRUIT. WARM PATIOS IN ZONES 4 A - 11 IS SUITABLE IF YOU WISH TO TRY TO GROW A CUSTARD APPLE TREE IN NORTHERN CLIMATES BUT YOUR TREE MUST BE PROTECTED FROM WINTER COLD/FROST ESPECIALLY IF TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW 30F FOR EXTENDED PERIODS. FERTILIZERS: TROPICAL FRUIT TREE FERTILIZERS THAT INCLUDE MICRO-NUTRIENTS ARE EXCELLENT SUPPLEMENTS TO IMPROVE FRUIT PRODUCTION. YOUR YOUNG TREE WILL NOT TYPICALLY NEED FERTILIZERS IF YOUR SOIL IS RICH AND DEEP BUT ONCE YOUR PLANT BECOMES MORE MATURE (AT LEAST 1 YEAR OLD) THEY CAN BE TREATED WITH N-P-K 13-6-12. OLDER TREES CAN BY FERTILIZED WITH A TIME RELEASE FERTILIZER DURING WATERING SUCH AS 8-3-9 EVERY 3 YEARS INSTRUCTIONS: WHEN YOU ARE READY TO TRANSPLANT YOUR CUSTARD APPLE SEEDLING TO A LARGER PLASTIC NURSERY CONTAINER WHICH I RECOMMEND (OR TO YOUR GARDEN LOCATION OF CHOICE WHICH I DO NOT RECOMMEND) BE SURE TO WATER YOUR SEEDLING WELL USING RAIN, DISTILLED OR R.O WATER TO ENSURE THAT YOUR PLANT IS WELL HYDRATED. CAREFULLY PLACE YOUR SEEDLING (WHICH IS STILL INSIDE THE BIODEGRADABLE CUP) INTO YOUR PREPARED HOLE. DO NOT REMOVE THE BIODEGRADABLE CUP WHICH MIGHT RISK SHOCKING OR KILLING YOUR YOUNG SEEDLING. FOR BEST RESULTS TRANSPLANT AND GROW YOUR SEEDLING IN A 3 TO 5 GALLON PLASTIC NURSERY CONTAINER UNTIL YOUR TREE IS AT LEAST 4 TO 5 OR MORE FT TALL BEFORE TRANSPLANTING TO YOUR GARDEN LOCATION OF CHOICE. IF YOU PREFER TO TRANSPLANT TO A LARGER PLASTIC NURSERY CONTAINER, USE ANY GOOD QUALITY WELL DRAINING POTTING SOIL TO PROMOTE GROWTH. BE CAREFUL. IF YOUR SUNLIGHT IS INTENSE THEN GROW YOUR TREE IN YOUR NURSERY POT IN PART SHADED CONDITIONS. IF YOU NOTICE THAT YOUNG LEAVES ARE BURNING IT MEANS THAT YOUR SUNLIGHT MIGHT BE TOO INTENSE. THE APPEARANCE OF YELLOW DISCOLORATION OR BROWN BURN MARKS ON YOUNGER LEAVE WILL INDICATE THAT YOUR SUNLIGHT MIGHT BE TOO INTENSE. IF SO, RELOCATE YOUR POTTED TREE TO A WIND FREE AREA WHERE YOU CAN CONTROL SUN EXPOSURE AND MONITOR IT'S PROGRESS. ONCE YOUR TREE IS ABOUT 3-5 FT TALL YOU CAN THEN TRANSPLANT IT INTO YOUR GARDEN LOCATION OF CHOICE, PREFERABLY SOMEWHERE THAT YOUR TREE WILL GET FULL SUN FOR AT LEAST 6 TO 8 HRS PER DAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CARING FOR YOUR TREE PLEASE MESSAGE ME AND I WILL GLADLY PROVIDE HELP. I make every effort to ship plants as soon as payment is received. I do not provide hot packs so be mindful of cold temperatures in your area. This evergreen fruit tree generally tolerates mild cooler temperatures no lower than 40 F when fully mature. If you are in colder zones you may want to wait at the mailbox if you order if you don't want your plant to freeze!! I ship all of my plants via USPS 2 to 3 day delivery but unfortunately, sometimes the postal service does not deliver on time and packages do sometimes get lost. Unfortunately, this is something that is out of my control. If your plant arrives damaged beyond saving, please message me with pictures of your plant still secured in the box so that I may address the problem as soon as possible. There is no need to leave negative feedback as I always try to answer questions or concerns in a very timely basis, sometimes within minutes of being messaged. Your satisfaction is my greatest concern and I will do everything possible to make things right. I am a gardener first, seller second. I want the best for my customers and will do the best I can to ensure satisfaction.
Price: 78 USD
Location: Cape Coral, Florida
End Time: 2023-11-09T20:40:01.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
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Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Climate: Humid Subtropical, GROWS NORMALLY IN WARM WET TROPICAL REGIONS, INTOLERANT OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES, REQUIRES IRRIGATION/RAIN IF CONDITIONS ARE DRY
Common Name: CUSTARD APPLE
Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor & Outdoor
Brand: SEEDLING
Season of Interest: Spring, Summer, Winter
Type: Fruits & Fruit Trees
Growth Stage: Seedling
Watering: THRIVES WITH REGULAR YEAR ROUND IRRIGATION
Genus: ANNONA
Number in Pack: 1
Sunlight: Full Sun, Medium Sun, SEEDLINGS BURN IN FULL SUN/GROW IN PART SHADE, MATURE TREES TOLERANT OF FULL SUN
Foliage: DECIDUOUS/GREEN/THIN/LONG/SOFT/AROMATIC LEAVES
Features: Deciduous, Edible, FRUIT RIPENS OFF THE TREE IF PICKED GREEN, TOLERANT OF MILD FLOODING/WET SOIL, INTOLERANT OF EXTENDED PERIODS OF DROUGHT, GROWS 15 TO 20 OR MORE FEET TALL
