Annona glabra
pond apple
Overview
Annona glabra is a semi-evergreen wetland tree reaching 20 to 40 feet (6 to 12 m) tall, with a short trunk, low branches, and often a buttressed, swollen base in standing water. The glossy, oblong leaves are 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 cm) long and may drop briefly in the dry season. The flowers are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across, with three thick outer petals in pale cream-yellow and a red to crimson zone inside at the base. The fruit is a smooth, yellow, heart-shaped berry 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 cm) long that floats on water and disperses with currents and tides. It grows in freshwater and brackish swamps, mangrove edges, and along slow rivers in the tropics, tolerating flooding, salt spray, and waterlogged soil. The pulp is edible but bland and is used mostly as wildlife food. It is frost-sensitive and limited to zones 10 and 11. Outside its native range it has become an aggressive invader of waterways, notably in northern Australia.
Native Range
Native to southern Florida, the Caribbean, coastal Mexico, Central and South America, and West Africa. It grows in freshwater and brackish swamps, mangrove margins, and along slow tropical rivers and estuaries.Suggested Uses
Used in tropical wetland and mangrove restoration and as a rootstock for grafting other Annona spp. species. In its native range it stabilizes shorelines and feeds fish, birds, and mammals with its floating fruit. Its invasive behavior limits planting to managed sites within its native region.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height20' - 40'
Width/Spread15' - 25'
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs mainly in spring and early summer, varying with the tropical wet season. The cream-yellow flowers open singly or in small clusters along the branches. Each flower lasts a few days. Fruit ripens over several months, turning from green to yellow.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
cream-yellow with red centerFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow in full sun to part shade in wet, mucky, or flooded soil; Annona glabra tolerates standing fresh or brackish water. It accepts loam, clay, sand, and muck with a pH from 5.5 to 7.5 and needs constant moisture. The tree is frost-sensitive and survives only in USDA zones 10 and 11. It tolerates salt spray and waterlogging that kill most fruit trees. Because it spreads readily by floating seed, it is restricted or discouraged outside its native range. Little feeding is needed in rich wetland soils.Pruning
Prune after fruiting to remove dead, crossing, or low branches and to shape the crown. The tree tolerates hard cutting and resprouts freely. Remove suckers and water sprouts as they appear. Cut fruit or seed left near waterways can spread to new sites.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summer