Cherimoya vs. Sweetsop — What's the Difference?

The cherimoya (Annona cherimola), also spelled chirimoya and called chirimuya by the Inca people, is a species of edible fruit-bearing plant in the genus Annona, from the family Annonaceae, which includes the closely related sweetsop and soursop. The plant has long been believed to be native to Ecuador and Peru, with cultivation practiced in the Andes and Central America, although a recent hypothesis postulates Central America as the origin instead, because many of the plant's wild relatives occur in this area.Cherimoya is grown in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world including Central America, eastern South America, Southern California, South Asia, Australia, the Mediterranean region and North Africa.

A tropical American tree (Annona squamosa) widely cultivated for its yellowish-green fruit with sweet edible pulp.

A tropical American tree (Annona cherimola) having heart-shaped, edible fruits with green skin and white aromatic flesh.

The fruit of this tree. In both senses also called sugar apple.

The fruit of this plant.

The sugar apple, Annona squamosa.

A subtropical tree, Annona cherimola, native to mountainous areas of South America.

The tropical American evergreen tree on which it grows.

A conical fruit with white flesh from that tree.

Tropical American tree bearing sweet pulpy fruit with thick scaly rind and shiny black seeds

Small tropical American tree bearing round or oblong fruit

Sweet pulpy tropical fruit with thick scaly rind and shiny black seeds

Large tropical fruit with leathery skin and soft pulp; related to custard apples