Cherimoya << `cher` uh MOY uh >> is a small tree that bears an edible fruit. It grows wild in the tropical highlands of the Andes Mountains in South America, and it is cultivated in California and Florida. The oval leaves grow 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) long. The tree bears small, yellow flowers. The egg- or heart-shaped fruit has depressions on its surface and weighs 1 pound (0.5 kilogram) or more. Most cherimoyas contain a few black seeds. The creamy, soft, white pulp of the fruit is eaten fresh and in ice cream and marmalade.
