Free to Good Home! (Green thumbs, please apply!)

(PICTURES OF EACH PLANT ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE!)
The bad thing about taking good care of your plants is that they never stop growing! I have come to the conclusion that I can no longer provide an adequate home for this tree, and I am not the type of person that will put all that hard work, sweat, love and care into them, and watch it die because it has outgrown its space. 

Through much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that I need to find this Cherimoya a new home.

I would like this plant to be established in its new home before winter arrives.  I know most people are probably not thinking about winter when today's temps are 100 degrees or more, but please rest assured that winter is approaching at a regular, predictable rate.

Contrary to popular belief, I am not dumping all my valuables before I commit suicide, and  I haven't just thrown my hands up in the air and said, "To Hell With it!".  Neither am I the type of person that will fall in love with something, buy it, and in two months, I have moved on to the next thing.  I don't behave in that manner, and I don't much care for those who do. 

A Cherimoya tree

I planted this tree from a seed that I got from a Cherimoya fruit at a local International Food Market.

More information can be found on the Cherimoya by Googling the name on the internet, or by going to this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherimoya

**The interest in this plant is it's uniqueness.   It might flower and bear fruit at some point in the future, but don't hold your breath waiting for it to do so, if you know what I mean.**

If it DOES flower, the fertile period for the flowers is very short.  Each individual flower is male by day, and changes to female at night!

These fruit are somewhat rare in the Midwestern markets, but when they are available, ripe fruit are described by many people as having a variety of tastes.  "Bubblegum Flavored Yogurt" best describes the flavor, in my opinion.  Please note that this particular tree has neither flowered nor bared fruit. I am just giving you general facts about the plant.  The reason you would want this tree is as a curiosity, more than anything.  Any future fruit-baring would be an added bonus, and definitely unexpected.

Even though I have this tree outside during the summer, and it is listed as a "tropical tree", it is actually a "Mountainous Sub-Tropical tree".  It can't stand the snow, but it does like to see it in the distance!

While under my care, this tree is located in a spot where it does get some afternoon sun, but does get partial shade.  Even though it is listed as a "Sub-tropical" tree, it doesn't like the horribly hot temps that the St. Louis area has been getting lately (summer - 2011).  In fact, this tree requires a few weeks with the temps at least in the 40's - 50's, or it will go dormant.  This is the issue with the Cherimoya that is in the Climatron Tropical Rain Forest at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.  That particular Cherimoya is exposed to a constant 85 degree temp, year-round, and doesn't really get enough light.   The Cherimoya that I am trying to relocate is 1/5 the age of the one at the Botanical Gardens, yet it is 4 times it's size, and is much more robust.  The problem is that the horticulturists that placed the Cherimoya in the Climatron read, "Tropical" on the description, and didn't investigate further.  The tree at The Gardens is not allowed to experience a few weeks of cooler weather, and sadly, it is going dormant. 

Cherimoyas can be the first plant you take out of the house for the summer in mid-April (in the Midwest), and the last you bring inside, in the fall.  They like a bit of cool weather - but NOT freezing!

When crushed between your fingers, the leaves and branches of this tree have a "peppery" fragrance.  The tree that I have available had a serious pruning early in the spring - and it has completely grown back to its original size. 

Dragon Fruit Cacti - climbing cacti - miniature pineapples on the right.

More Dragon Fruit Cacti - climbing cacti

Miniature Pineapple plant - will produce another mini pineapple.

Miniature Pineapple plant - will produce another mini pineapple - with more cacti

I will give away two of these various citrus trees.

A full-size Dole pineapple plant.  In another year, it should produce a full-size, edible pineapple.

Another full-size Dole pineapple plant with a 4 - 5 ft. tall avocado tree on the left..  This pineapple has already produced one fruit, but might produce another.

The Cherimoya tree - I put the 5 gallon bucket next to the huge make-shift pot to give a comparison for the size of this tree.

(Because the Cherimoya tree blends with it's background in this pic, I outlined it for clarity.)

Another Avocado tree.  Not guaranteed to fruit, and not the prettiest of trees, but they are interesting, fast, easy growers (but week wood!)

I knew when I began growing these plants from seed and from small starts that the day would come where I would have to find them new, bigger homes.  The day has arrived, and life goes on.

If you are interested in any of these plants, or you know anyone who might be, please send them my e-mail address, or have them contact me at information:

MJKeller568@aol.com

- Michael