WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Annona cherimola, WUCOLS IV

How often to water cherimoya in California

In July on the north-central coast, established cherimoya in loam needs a deep watering about every 13 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 29 gallons a week. Cherimoya is a subtropical fruit tree that briefly sheds its leaves before a new flush of growth and flowers. The timing varies with local conditions, so watch the tree rather than assuming a late-winter rest. It needs ample moisture during active growth and good drainage, with particular care to avoid soggy soil in cool weather.

TreeRated for 3 of 6 zones

How often to water cherimoya, month by month

Your city
Canopy width
10 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for cherimoya and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area under the branches, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure canopy width

A tree with its canopy width marked across the widest branches and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the branches, from the tips of the outer leaves on one side to the tips on the other. A tape works, or pace it out.

Water the whole circle under the branches, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that circle.

A wider canopy means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While the tree is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry several inches down at the edge of the root ball signals a young cherimoya needs a deep soak
  • Yellowing leaves can reflect dry soil, excess moisture or cold, so compare the foliage with root-zone conditions
  • Leaf loss during active growth can follow drought and leave cherimoya fruit exposed to sunburn
  • Yellow leaves over soggy soil call for a drainage check, especially during cool weather when root rot is a concern
  • Keep a wet trunk base under review because cherimoya can develop crown rot

How to water it

  • Water a young cherimoya over its full root ball, widening the soaked area as the canopy spreads
  • Soak the root zone deeply with drip emitters rather than frequent light sprinkling
  • Pause irrigation during dormancy and resume according to soil moisture when active growth returns
  • Use fast draining soil and raise the planting area where clay holds water near the trunk
  • Keep mulch a few inches clear of the trunk while covering the root zone beyond it

Through the seasons

New cherimoyas need close moisture checks while establishing, and mature trees also require adequate water during active growth. Leaf shedding and the dormant pause vary by location and can occur in spring; avoid watering through that rest. Flowers accompany renewed growth, while fruit can remain on the tree into the cool season. Coastal winter rain may supply much of the moisture, so inspect the soil before resuming irrigation. WUCOLS rates cherimoya moderate water on the north-central coast, south coast and South Inland. The Central Valley, high desert and low desert are not suited.

In pots

UC guidance does not recommend cherimoya for long-term container growing, though seedlings are raised in deep containers to accommodate their taproots. For a young tree awaiting planting, check the top couple of inches of mix during California summer heat. Let water escape through the holes and empty the saucer after each soak. Protect the tree when frost threatens. During its dormant period, pause watering and prevent rain from leaving the container in standing water.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
Not ratedWUCOLS does not rate Cherimoya for the Central Valley zone
A year
no figure
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses

WUCOLS lists Cherimoya as not suited to this region for the Central Valley zone, so no monthly figure is computed here.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Cherimoya: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.37–0.780.78––
Feb0.53–0.810.87––
Mar0.87–1.151.3––
Apr1.18–1.41.61––
May1.46–1.611.95––
Jun1.61–1.742.29––
Jul1.61–1.982.51––
Aug1.49–1.862.33––
Sep1.24–1.491.86––
Oct0.87–1.151.33––
Nov0.47–0.840.9––
Dec0.31–0.650.68––
Year12–15.518.41––

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated not suited to this region in the Central Valley, like cherimoya. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Sugar MapleAcer saccharumnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingQueensland KauriAgathis robustanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingPurple Orchid TreeBauhinia variegata (purpurea)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingToogBischofia javanicanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingClustered Fishtail PalmCaryota mitisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingWhite SapoteCasimiroa edulisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingFilbertCorylus maximanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingSpotted GumCorymbia maculata (Eucalyptus maculata)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingDove TreeDavidia involucratanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingRoyal PoincianaDelonix regianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingTriangle PalmDypsis decaryinot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingMountain White GumEucalyptus dalrympleananot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingRainbow EucalyptusEucalyptus degluptanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingRoxburgh FigFicus auriculatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingIndian BanyanFicus benghalensisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingWeeping Chinese BanyanFicus benjaminanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes cherimoya, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water cherimoya in summer?

In July, established cherimoya in loam needs a deep watering about every 11 days on the south coast and about every 9 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does cherimoya need per day?

In July on the north-central coast, established cherimoya needs about 4.1 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 16 gallons a day under a 20 foot canopy. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for cherimoya change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates cherimoya separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, not suited to this region in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, not suited to this region in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not suited to this region in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why did my cherimoya drop its leaves?

Cherimoya can shed its old foliage as part of a short seasonal rest, with timing that varies between California locations. Drought during active growth can also cause leaf loss. Look at the season, buds and soil together before deciding whether the tree is dormant or under stress.

Can cherimoya handle frost?

Young growth is frost sensitive, and a harder freeze can seriously injure mature trees. In cooler locations, a sheltered south-facing position can help. Cover a young tree before a cold snap, but avoid heat-trapping walls in hot southern sites.

Why is my cherimoya fruit splitting?

Fruit left on the tree too long can split and begin to decay. Harvest mature fruit while it is still firm, then let it soften indoors. Check harvest readiness before treating a split fruit as proof of an irrigation problem.

Does cherimoya need hand pollination in California?

Hand pollination often improves fruit set in California gardens. Beetles are natural cherimoya pollinators, and some have been observed visiting flowers in coastal California. A small brush can transfer fresh pollen from a male-stage flower to a receptive female-stage flower.

Why are my cherimoya leaves yellow with roots in soggy soil?

Too much moisture can yellow the leaves, and saturated soil raises the risk of root or crown rot. Cold or dry soil can also produce yellow foliage. Check drainage and root condition before adding water, and seek a diagnosis if damage continues.

More plant watering guides

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Sources