How to Grow Rollinia
Annona mucosa
Rollinia is a fast-growing tropical fruit tree in the Annona family that needs a heated greenhouse in the UK with a minimum of 12C over winter. Give it maximum light, keep soil consistently moist during the growing season, and feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser. The yellow spiny fruit has a sweet lemon-custard flavour but a very short shelf life, so eat it fresh. Prune in late winter to control its vigorous growth in containers.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser from April to September. Add a potash-rich supplement when fruiting. Stop feeding in winter and reduce watering while the tree rests.
Watch For
- Glasshouse red spider mite — stippled leaves and fine webbing in warm dry conditions
- Mealybugs — cottony clusters in leaf axils and on stems
- Scale insects — brown oval bumps on older woody stems
- Anthracnose — dark sunken spots on fruit and leaves
- Root rot from overwatering, especially in winter
Track your Rollinia care schedule — pruning, feeding, and seasonal tasks
Start planning freeCare Requirements
☀️ Light
Full sun; heated greenhouse in UK
Needs full sun for best fruiting. In the UK, grow in a heated greenhouse or large conservatory with maximum light exposure. Tolerates light shade when young.
💧 Watering
Keep consistently moist; does not tolerate drought
Water regularly to keep soil consistently moist during the growing season. Rollinia does not tolerate drought. Reduce watering in winter but do not let the compost dry out completely.
🌱 Fertilizing
Monthly liquid feed in season; extra potash for fruiting
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser from April to September. Apply a slow-release granular feed in spring. Benefits from additional potash when fruiting.
✂️ Pruning
Prune late winter to control vigorous growth
Prune in late winter to control size and maintain an open canopy. Rollinia is fast-growing and responds well to pruning. Remove dead wood and crossing branches.
❄️ Overwintering
Minimum 12°C; may drop leaves in cool conditions
Not frost hardy. Maintain a minimum of 12°C over winter. Keep in a heated greenhouse. Reduce watering and stop feeding. May lose some leaves in cool conditions.
Growing Tips
Keep moist in summer
Keep soil consistently moist during the growing season — rollinia does not tolerate drought and will drop leaves if stressed.
Prune to control size
Prune in late winter to control vigorous growth; rollinia responds well to pruning and can be kept compact in a large container.
Eat fresh — short shelf life
Harvest fruit when it turns yellow and gives slightly to pressure; eat immediately as shelf life is only a day or two.
Winter rest above 12C
Maintain a minimum of 12C over winter in a heated greenhouse; reduce watering and stop feeding until spring.
Pests & Diseases
Pest Glasshouse Red Spider Mite
Identification: Fine stippling on upper leaf surfaces. Leaves become dull and bronzed. Fine webbing visible in severe infestations.
- Introduce the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis
- Mist foliage regularly to raise humidity
- Spray with insecticidal soap
- Spray with a miticide if biological control is insufficient
Pest Mealybugs
Identification: White, waxy, cottony clusters in leaf axils and on stems. Sticky honeydew and sooty mould. Stunted growth.
- Dab individual bugs with a cotton bud soaked in methylated spirit
- Introduce the ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri as biological control
- Spray with insecticidal soap
- Spray with a plant oil-based insecticide or fatty acid spray
Pest Scale Insects
Identification: Small brown or white oval bumps on stems and leaf undersides. Sticky honeydew and sooty mould on foliage.
- Scrub off with a soft brush dipped in soapy water
- Apply a winter plant oil wash
- Spray with a plant oil-based insecticide
Disease Anthracnose Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Symptoms: Dark, sunken spots on fruit and leaves. Fruit may rot before ripening. Leaves develop brown patches and may drop.
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected fruit and leaves. Improve air circulation around the tree.
Prevention: Avoid overhead watering. Ensure good ventilation in the greenhouse. Remove fallen debris promptly.
Disease Root Rot Phytophthora spp.
Symptoms: Yellowing leaves, wilting despite moist soil, dark discolouration at the stem base. Roots are brown and mushy.
Treatment: Reduce watering. Repot into fresh, well-drained compost. Cut away affected roots.
Prevention: Use well-drained compost with added perlite. Avoid overwatering. Ensure containers have adequate drainage holes.
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 700 cm |
| Row spacing | 800 cm |
| Mature height | 600 cm |
| Mature spread | 400 cm |
Also called biriba. Annona family with yellow spiny fruit. Fast growing tropical. Sweet lemon-flavored custard flesh. Short shelf life.
Log Rollinia in your garden — track growth, care, and harvests year after year
Start planning free