[3] In Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, the fruit is commonly known as chirimoya (spelled according to the rules of the Spanish language).

Annona cherimola is a fairly dense, fast-growing, woody,[9] briefly deciduous[10] but mostly evergreen, low-branched, spreading tree[9] or shrub,[10] 5 to 9 m (16 to 30 ft) tall.

The flesh of the cherimoya contains numerous hard, inedible, black, bean-like, glossy seeds, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) long[9] and about half as wide.

[3] Like other members of the family Annonaceae, the entire plant contains small amounts of neurotoxic acetogenins, such as annonacin,[3] which appear to be linked to atypical parkinsonism in Guadeloupe.

Studies of which insect(s) serve as the natural pollinator in the cherimoya's native region have been inconclusive; some form of beetle is suspected.

Honey bees are not good pollinators of this plant, for example, because their bodies are too large to fit between the fleshy petals of the female flower.

For fruit production outside the cherimoya's native region, cultivators must either rely upon the wind to spread pollen in dense orchards or else use hand pollination.

Briefly, to increase fruit production, growers collect the pollen from the male plants with the brush, and then transfer it to the female flowers immediately or store it in the refrigerator overnight.

The evaluation of 20 locations in Loja Province, Ecuador, indicated certain growing preferences of wild cherimoya, including altitude between 1,500 and 2,000 m (4,900 and 6,600 ft), optimum annual temperature range between 18 and 20 °C (64 and 68 °F), annual precipitation between 800 and 1,000 mm (31 and 39 in), and soils with high sand content and slightly acidic properties with pH between 5.0 and 6.5.

[14] In Western horticulture, growers are often advised to grow cherimoya in full sun,[22] while the plant has been considered shade-tolerant in Japan.

[23] In 2001, a study conducted by Kyoto University showed shading of 50–70% sunlight was adequate to obtain an optimal light environment.

[24] The cherimoya of the Granada-Málaga tropical coast in Spain is a fruit of the cultivar 'Fino de Jete' with the EU's protected designation of origin appellation.

The flavor balances intense sweetness with slight acidity and the soluble sugar content exceeds 17° Bx.

This variety is prepared and packed in the geographical area because "it is a very delicate perishable fruit and its skin is very susceptible to browning caused by mechanical damage, such as rubbing, knocks, etc.

The fruit must be handled with extreme care, from picking by hand in the field to packing in the warehouse, which must be carried out within 24 hours.

A hybrid with A. squamosa called atemoya has received some attention in West Africa, Australia, Brazil, and Florida.

In the Mediterranean region, it is cultivated mainly in southern Spain and Portugal, where it was introduced between 1751 and 1797,[3] after which it was carried to Italy, but now can also be found in several countries of Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania.

[citation needed] Chirimoya Cumbe is a well-known case involving collective marks in trademark law.

Cumbe is a valley in the Huarochiri province of Peru where the climatic conditions are favourable for growing chirimoya.

In 1997, Matildo Pérez, a peasant from a village community in the heights of Lima, decided to apply personally to the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Property of Peru (INDECOPI) for the registration of the trademark "Chirimoya Cumbe."

[31] The Moche culture of Peru had a fascination with agriculture and represented fruits and vegetables in their art; cherimoyas were often depicted in their ceramics.