Anón

Annona squamosa

Field guide

🗓️ Season

● peak · ○ available · — scarce

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🗺️ Where it grows

Native to the tropical Americas and West Indies; grown across Colombia's warm lowlands.

Elsewhere in the world: Also grown in India, the Philippines, Thailand, Egypt and Australia.

Altitude: 0–1,200 m

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Where it grows wildWhere it's farmed todayMedellín

👀 Look

This fruit looks like a bumpy, green hand grenade, about the size of a tennis ball. It splits open to reveal creamy, segmented flesh.

👃 Aroma

It has a sweet, tropical, and slightly floral aroma, reminiscent of custard or ripe pear.

👅 Taste

The taste is intensely sweet and custardy, with notes of pear, pineapple, and vanilla.

Sweetness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🍽️ How to eat it

Locals typically eat Anón fresh, scooping out the pulp with a spoon and spitting out the numerous black seeds.

🧃 Drinks

While less common as a juice due to its seediness, it makes an excellent, thick smoothie or a base for creamy milkshakes.

🏪 Buying tips

Look for fruits that are slightly soft to the touch and have a fragrant aroma. Avoid hard, green fruits or those with dark, soft spots.

💰 Price

5.000-8.000 COP/kg

🌎 Local lore

Often confused with Chirimoya, the Anón is a distinct and equally beloved fruit in Colombian markets, prized for its unique texture and sweetness.

⚠️ Watch out

The black seeds are TOXIC — never chew or crush them. Powdered seed is a strong eye irritant (it can cause severe conjunctivitis) and is used as an insecticide and lice treatment. Spit the seeds out whole and discard them; don't eat the skin.

🎉 Fun fact

The Anón is known for its high sugar content, making it one of the sweetest fruits in the Annona family. Its toxic seeds have been ground for centuries into a natural insecticide and head-lice powder, one more reason not to bite them.

⭐ Worth trying?

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Intensely sweet and fragrant; just be patient with the seeds.