Kathy,
Mine's got 2 small fruits growing too.
So far I've left them on cuz they're just so cute!

I've got one the size of a small walnut! I'm so excited!

Congrats!!! Let 'dem beauties grow! Sugar Apples are early producers, so it is common to see fruits on small trees.

Aren't they just the prettiest things?!!! I love looking at them. My green Sugar Apple tree is loaded with fruits and still blooming like crazy.

Warning-Annonas are addictive! Once you have one you will want to collect them all(G).

Just wait till you taste them.. Mmmmmmmmm..

Lisa

I just looked again and counted six on my little tree.
And the Red sugar apple is blooming too!

Here's some pics in the rain I just took of my little babies.

Pretty fruits Treefrog! Your tree is much better-leafed-out than mine too. Must be nice to be getting RAIN!! It is so dry out here..

Fruit trees can be really sneaky.. They look so innocent, then one day you find multiple proofs of them "doin' it" and whatta surprise!

I keep finding Peaches on the trees I thought were taking the year off.. Sugar Apples use camoufloge, so you don't notice the fruits hanging under the foliage.

They are kinda tender, will get black areas on the skin if handeled or bumped, but it doesn't affect the interior. Watch for snowy scale or mealy bugs. They like to hide in the bumps on the fruits.

Overall, Sugar Apples and Atemoyas are easy-care fruit trees here. More people should grow them.

Lisa

Katkin, how did you prune your SA? I know you are great at pruning plants into shapely trees, and would like to know how you do it.

Sugar Apples are forgiving of pruning and seem to flower/fruit both on 1 year old growth, and new growth. I let some of mine make their own shrubby shape, just pruning off dead/crossing branches. Others I'm making into candelabrum shapes, almost like an espalier. They are fun to work with!

Lisa

LOL, believe it or not I haven't pruned this one into a tree. Partly I wanted to see what the fruit is like and partly it seems to have a nice shape on it's own. Very tree like. I kept it in a pot too. How long before the fruit is ripe? Do I use that Bayer on it, if it gets scale?

Katkin, I wouldn't use Bayer, since Sugar Apple leaves are not bothered by pests, and Bayer works best on leaf-eating critters. I saw mealy-bugs on the mature trees in front of China Star in Stuart, but I have not had them on my trees at all. The fruit usually get softball sized, but might be smaller on a young tree. They ripen in mid-summer to fall. They can be picked when you notice the bumps are separating/bulging out more from the main body of the fruit. Hard to describe, but the fruits look swollen. If you wait too long, the fruit will split. They can sometimes still be eaten after splitting, if you get to them before the bugs do. Let the fruit soften on the kitchen counter or in a bowl. When ripe, they feel heavy and rubbery-soft. Try one chilled (don't worry if the skin darkens from cold) pulling the segments apart with your fingers. They are unlike any other fruit(G). You eat the white parts inside, discarding the skin, but save the seeds!

Lisa

I realized I didn't really answer your question, Lisa. On any shrub or tree, I pick one limb to be the leader and usually stake at this time to keep it straight. Then I start removing the bottom leaves or limbs. They say not to remove more then 1/3 at a time. Over a period of time I remove more limbs until I reach the point I want it to start to branch out. This depends on the maximum height of whatever plant you are training. Once an area is cleaned off, keep it clean. Don't allow any leaves or new growth to stay on the trunk that's been cleaned off. And don't allow any suckers to form. You want all the energy to go to the one trunk. If it really is a tree, I usually keep it pruned up high enough so I can walk under it. I hope this helps, it is hard for me to explain. If you want I can come and show you. Or you can come here and I'll show you some I'm starting now.

I want in on the lesson too please.

Marion, sure come on over. :)