Custard Apple seeds

[cbearder]

I finally plucked up the courage to try one, and they are really worth it, delicious. But they have large hard seeds inside. Any chance I can grow these? do they need soaking, heating, or passing through the gut of an exotic animal before they will germinate?
C

[Alison]

Don't know, we tried to grow one after eating them on holiday in Madiera (surprisingly nice aren't they) but didn't manage to achieve anything. Am a bit dubious that they'd grow here but suppose they'd make a nice conservatory plant perhaps?

FYI, we tried soaking the seeds before planting up to soften them, didn't seem to help and they rotted down eventually. Worth a try though as you've nothing to loose.

[PAULW]

CB
You will be very lucky to raise a custard apple from seed most apples are raised from cutting and will not come true from seed.

[Alison]

CB
You will be very lucky to raise a custard apple from seed most apples are raised from cutting and will not come true from seed.

I don't think they're part of the same family as normal apples, they're a native of the West Indies and according to t'internet, seed is the normal method of propagation but can't find anything about how you'd do it. Does say though that it is too tender for California and trees introduced into Palestine succumbed to the cold so if you do manage one, it's definitely not one for outdoors overwinter!

[PAULW]

CUSTARD APPLE
Propagation: Since there are no recognized rootstocks for cherimoyas, seedlings are universally utilized. Seeds from the White cultivar (Dr. White) are thought by some to produce superior rootstocks, however there does not appear to be a great deal of objective data to support this position. Seeds remain viable for two to three years if kept dry and protected from weevil and fungi. With 70° F bottom heat, seed will germinate in about 21 days, but will require about 40 days under normal ambient growing conditions. Seedlings should be transplanted to deep containers (approximately 18") when they are 3" tall to promote development of the tap root. In frost-free areas, it is recommended that seedlings for spring grafting be planted in their ultimate location in the fall and grafted in the ground the following spring.

http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/cherimoya.html

[Crazy Chickie]

I got some of these to germinate when I lived in Edinburgh, grew to be a decent looking plants within the first year but gave them all away when I moved up here. They were quite easy to germinate, think I gave them bottom heat, kept them in porch and on window sills, the porch was heated through the winter. Don't know if they would ever have come to anything, grew them mainly out of curiosity much like you do with avacado stones.

[cbearder]

Thanks, it looks like its worth a go for an interesting foliage plant in my unheated (except in dire weather) conservatory. I will give them a soak for a few hours and plant them in the kitchen now and put them out in C in the spring. Watch this space!

[Maz]

Hi Guy's..The way I did it was pot them in compost,water them then tied the whole thing up with clear plastic bag,then I put them in a dark cupboard..kept checking now and again..and they grew..I now have five healthy plants/trees..not quite sure what to call them

[greasyfire]

I used to germinate custard apple seedling's all the time but after a while they just stop growing so i gave up and chucked it away. I usually put them in a pot of compost and they grow but i have germinated them in normal dirt. They are very attractive plants but will be too big i think to aim for fruits. But tell me how you get on since i am a keen tropical grower.

[mr mc]

I have grown one from seed and is now about six feet tall. Started with 10 seeds and this one has come through. They all became small plants. Don't know if it will ever bear fruit. Maybe try again

Don't know, we tried to grow one after eating them on holiday in Madiera (surprisingly nice aren't they) but didn't manage to achieve anything. Am a bit dubious that they'd grow here but suppose they'd make a nice conservatory plant perhaps?

FYI, we tried soaking the seeds before planting up to soften them, didn't seem to help and they rotted down eventually. Worth a try though as you've nothing to loose.

[Lawrence]

I tried these a few years ago using fresh seed with no luck, after a clear out, I spilt the container that the seeds were in and knowing they didn't grow first time I just left them.
The seeds started to sprout recently and now I have 6 plants with more on the way.
If I want to keep them in a container, what size should I go for?

[Ginge A]

Custard Apple seeds

I bought a Custard apple fruit off our market out of curiosity, didn't really care for it but I cleaned off the flesh from half a dozen seeds and wrapped them in tissue then put them in a plastic bag and just about forgot them. A year or so later whilst clearing out a drawer I found them so thought I would give them a go.
I had some two litre 'TESCO' (other brands available) empty plastic bottles. I cut around the line near the top and at each base leg (five of them) I drilled a size 8 hole. Then I placed a disk of polystyrene the just slightly smaller than the size of the bottle and about one inch thick into the bottom. I filled almost to the too with cheap compost from QD (once again other bla bla bla). Then I pushed one seed into each about one inch down and covered, I had some Tomrite (yeah you guessed it other...) and poured one cap full over each seed and then put them on a tray in the front window, south facing, room normally around 18C but can get warmer. Now they are around eight/ten inches tall and leaves all the way up the stem.
Now I don't know what to do with them as I assume though they are classed as hardy deciduous they would not like our East of England winter climate.
Would suppose a good greenhouse or orangery where winter is above 18C and can be humid in the summer that they may produce fruit.
There are sites with care and cultivation that can be accessed but I do not have the space for them much longer.