Fall Deals:
15% OFF Strawberry Trees - Barbados Cherries - Papayas
15% Off Vitex & Sweet Almond
Roselle & Egyptian Spinach - Buy One Get One Free
🚚 Shipping Update:
We’re now shipping nationwide across the continental U.S. again! 🌱
📦 Please note: Shipping to California remains paused due to agricultural regulations.
🌸 ‘Painter’ Cherilata (Annona sp.) – The Exquisite Hybrid Delight 🌿
A Rare Creation by John Painter of Pine Island, FL
Experience the best of both worlds with this extraordinary Cherimoya × Custard Apple hybrid, the ‘Painter’ Cherilata. Crafted by master hybridizer John Painter, this tropical treasure combines the velvety sweetness of Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) with the floral richness of Custard Apple (Annona reticulata). Grafted on Pond Apple rootstock for Florida’s subtropical soils, this tree brings rare-fruit elegance to any edible landscape or collector’s orchard.
🌿 Quick Facts Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Annona sp. ‘Painter’ |
| Hybrid Origin | Cherimoya × Custard Apple (John Painter hybrid) |
| Plant Type | Grafted subtropical fruit tree |
| Size at Sale | 3-gallon container |
| Mature Height & Width | 15–20 ft tall × 12–15 ft wide (pruned smaller for easy care) |
| USDA Zones | 9–11 (container grown in 8B+) |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun to partial shade ☀️🌤️ |
| Cold Hardiness | Mature trees tolerate ~26°F; protect juveniles below 30°F ❄️ |
| Growth Habit | Upright, spreading canopy with glossy foliage |
| Spacing Requirements | 12–18 ft between trees |
🍈 Fruit & Flavor
- Flavor Profile: Creamy, custard-like texture reminiscent of Cherimoya; sweet, aromatic, and tropical with notes of vanilla and lychee.
- Skin & Flesh: Rosy-pink or reddish exterior with pale, velvety pulp and glossy black seeds.
- Harvest Season (Florida): Late summer to early fall (August–October).
- Yield: Moderate to high when mature; improved with good pollination and warm conditions.
💡 Pro Tip: Hand-pollinate flowers with a soft brush for best fruit set — Annonas often rely on beetle pollinators in nature! 🐝
🌱 Top Benefits & Uses
- 🍮 Gourmet Dessert Fruit: Perfect for smoothies, fruit bowls, and chilled custard-style desserts.
- 🌳 Compact Landscape Tree: Manageable size for home orchards or edible landscapes.
- 🌿 Collector’s Gem: A rare cultivar from a respected Florida breeder.
- 🌺 Pollinator-Friendly: Flowers attract beetles and other beneficial insects.
🌿 Planting & Care Guide
Where to Plant
Choose a full-sun, well-drained site with protection from strong winds. Avoid low areas where water pools after heavy rain.
Planting Tips
Dig a hole just slightly wider than your container and plant “High & Tight” to promote drainage — our signature GreenDreams planting technique.
📺 Watch our Fruit Tree Planting Method on YouTube
Watering
💧 Water daily for the first 2 weeks, then taper to 2–3 times weekly. Once established, water deeply during dry spells.
Mulching
🪵 Apply a 2–3" mulch ring, keeping it 4–6" away from the trunk to avoid rot.
Fertilizing
⚖️ Use a balanced tropical fruit fertilizer or organic compost blend quarterly. Add trace minerals (azomite) and biochar to boost soil life.
Winter Maintenance (Florida)
❄️ Young trees benefit from frost cloths during cold snaps. After dormancy, prune lightly to maintain form and airflow.
🪴 Container & Indoor Growing Tips
- Ideal for patios and greenhouses — grows well in 15–25 gal containers.
- Use a well-draining tropical fruit mix (sand, perlite, compost).
- In colder regions, move indoors before temps drop below 40°F.
- Ensure bright southern exposure or grow lights during winter dormancy.
🌸 Support & Companion Plants
Create a thriving Annona guild with these GreenDreams favorites:
- Nitrogen Fixers: Pigeon Pea, Ice Cream Bean, Perennial Peanut 🌾
- Pollinator Allies: Firebush, Mexican Sunflower, Butterfly Pea 🐝
- Mulch Producers: Chaya, Tithonia, Vetiver Grass ♻️
🔍 Troubleshooting Guide
| ⚠️ Issue | 🧠 Cause | 🌿 Organic Solution |
|---|---|---|
| 🍃 Yellow Leaves | 💦 Overwatering or poor drainage | 🪣 Replant “High & Tight” & improve soil aeration |
| 🌬️ Leaf Burn | ☀️ Sudden sun exposure | 🌳 Gradually acclimate to full sun |
| 🍄 Black Leaf Spots | 🧫 Fungal infection | ❄️ Apply neem or copper fungicide weekly |
| 🪲 Poor Fruiting | 🐝 Lack of pollinators | 💡 Hand-pollinate early morning blooms |
| ❄️ Cold Damage | 🌬️ Frost exposure | 🪵 Mulch roots, cover with frost cloth |
(Icons represent common issues & organic solutions — look for 🌿 for recovery tips!)
🌿 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Is the ‘Painter’ Cherilata self-pollinating?
Not entirely — hand pollination boosts yields dramatically, as natural pollinators may be limited.
Q2: How long before it fruits?
Typically 2–4 years after planting (grafted trees).
Q3: Is this tree evergreen or deciduous?
Semi-deciduous in cooler months. 🍂 Leaves may yellow and drop slightly before new spring growth.
Q4: Can it handle Florida’s humidity?
Yes! Grafted on Pond Apple rootstock, it’s more tolerant of wet soils and humidity than most Annonas.
Q5: What’s the difference between Cherilata and Atemoya?
Cherilata = Cherimoya × Custard Apple.
Atemoya = Cherimoya × Sugar Apple.
This gives the Cherilata a more floral, custard-like flavor and reddish fruit skin.
🚚 Shipping & Handling Notes
- Our 3-gallon size ships best across Florida, the Southeast, and Texas.
- Shipping to northern or western states is available but plants may need recovery time from transit stress.
- 🌡️ Weather Advisory: We ship Mondays via UPS Ground. Buyer discretion advised during temperature extremes — we are not responsible for cold or heat damage in transit.
🚜 Local Pickup
GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
🌾 18709 US Hwy 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
🕘 Tues–Fri 9AM–5PM | 🌞 Sat 8AM–3PM
Come see what’s fruiting this week! 🌸
🌳 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
At GreenDreams, we don’t just grow plants — we design, build, and restore ecosystems.
- 🍊 Onsite consultations & food forest design
- 🌾 Installation & project management
- 🧺 Bulk soil, compost, & mulch delivery
- 🌿 Wholesale & regenerative solutions
Create your own edible paradise — starting with the ‘Painter’ Cherilata! 🌿
Ready to taste the rarest fruit in Florida?
Order your ‘Painter’ Cherilata today and experience the flavor fusion of two tropical legends! 🍈🌸
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
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For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
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For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
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We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
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Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
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Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
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Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
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Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
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Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
