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Pond apple
Pond apple fruit
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Pond apple
General information
Pond apple (Annona glabra) (also known as Cherimoya) is a native of tropical North, Central and South America and West Africa where it occurs in fresh and brackish swamplands. In 1912, pond apple was introduced to Australia as grafting stock for commercially grown custard apple.
In its native America, pond apple fruit has some commercial use. The wood and roots are very light, and are used as a substitute for cork floats.
Pond apple is a declared Class 2 pest plant under Queensland legislation and a Weed of National Significance (WONS).
| Scientific name |
Annona glabra |
| Impacts |
- invades fresh, brackish and saltwater areas
- forms dense stands in swamp areas, thickets capable of replacing ecosystems
- has the ability to colonise undisturbed areas
- melaleuca wetlands, Heritiera littoralis mangrove communities, riparian areas, drainage lines, coastal dunes and islands are most at risk
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| Description |
- a semi-deciduous tree that grows to 3-6 m in height and can reach up to 15 m
- has softwood stems with a thin grey bark bearing prominent lenticels
- leaves are alternate - 7-12 cm long with a prominent midrib
- leaves vary from light to dark green
- when crushed, leaves emit a distinct smell similar to green apples
- is pale yellow to cream with red inner-base flowers that consist of three leathery outer petals and three smaller inner petals
- flowers are short-lived, rarely noticed and 2-3 cm in diameter
- has green spherical fruit about 5-15 cm in diameter, which looks like a smooth-skinned custard apple
- each fruit contains 100-200 seeds of similar size and shape to pumpkin seed
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| Habitat and distribution |
- covers around 2200 ha of Queensland, with the main infestation in the Wet Tropics bioregion between Cardwell and Cooktown
- small and/or isolated infestations are found in Brisbane, Nambour, Mackay, Townsville, Ingham, the east coast of Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands
- an infestation was discovered south of Darwin in late 2010
- requires moist soil with regular inundations of fresh to brackish water
- seeds and fruit are easily dispersed by water and animals
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| Control |
- control during the dry season is most effective
- herbicide control varies depending on different situations
- a combined approach of different control methods including chemical, mechanical, fire and herbicide integrated with land management practices is most effective
- see pond apple fact sheet for further information
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| Declaration details |
- a declared Class 2 species under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002
- control of declared pests is required by landholders
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| Further information |
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Page maintained by Sonia Jordan
Last reviewed 04 August 2011
