By George Rogers

Key to Annonaceae Important in South Florida Landscaping

(Note: Some Annona data from BA1 and from http://www.icuc-iwmi.org/files/R7187_-_Annona%20monograph%202005.pdf)

1. Trees extremely narrow in outline; leaves lanceolate, dangling, with wavy margins…Mast Tree (Polyalthia longifolia)

1. Outlines not strikingly narrow; leaves elliptic, not dangling, the margins not wavy…2

2. Trees with sweetly fragrant flowers having long dangling petals…Ylang-Ylang (Cananga odorata) (Mast Tree, Polyalthia altissima, is similar but extremely narrow, with narrow, lanceolate (vs. elliptic), dangling leaves having wavy margins.)

2. Trees or shrubs, the flowers not sweetly fragrant, the petals not dangling…3

3. Carpels (tiny leafy units at the center of the flower) numerous (hundreds), forming an aggregate fruit…(Annona)…4

3. Carpels few (<15)…Asimina (Pawpaws, prominent as native plants but not for landscaping. For a key to the wild species see WU1.)

4. Leaves with long-tapered tips and dangling…Custard Apple Annona reticulata

4. Leaves not tapered and not  dangling…5

5.  Twigs, petioles, outer petals, and abaxial (undersides) leaf surfaces pubescent…Annona cherimola (Unusual in Florida; consider also its hybrid derivative Atemoya)

5. Most or all of these surfaces not pubescent (pubescence found on the twigs of some other species)…6

6.  Tree shape often taller than wide; flowers > 3.2 cm long; fruit elongate, very bristly, this often > 2 pounds (can be 8 pounds or more)…Soursop Annona muricata

6.  Not with this combination of characters.  Trees generally as wide as tall; flowers < 3.2 cm long; fruit < 2 pounds…7

7. Florida native tree, the flowers creamy with red markings within; fruits smooth, essentially inedible…Pond Apple Annona glabra

7. Cultivated fruit tree with edible fruits; flowers variable but not creamy with red internal markings; fruits usually bristly or warty…8

8. Fruit purplish or pinkish, the pulp pink (or white), the flower maroon…Ilama Annona diversifolia

8. Fruit greenish or yellowish, the flower greenish or whitish or pale yellowish on the outside…9

9. Fruit spherical, bristly, the pulp yellow…Mountain Soursop Annona montana

9. Fruit heart-shaped, scaly but not bristly, the flesh white…Sugar-Apple or Sweetsop Annona squamosa  (Escaped from cultivation in South Florida, this species could be confused with the native Annona glabra, but has narrower (< 1 cm) oblong or oblong-linear (vs. ovate) petals with the inner series reduced (vs. about the same length as the outer series), warty (vs. smooth) fruits with the units separating easily, and leaves widest below the middle (LON, WU1, BA1).