Custard apple

Custard apple

Custard apple originates from the West Indies but is now grown in all tropical regions.

Custard apples are usually eaten fresh as a snack or dessert. Open the fruit and spoon out the white flesh which is soft, juicy and has a sweet taste.

The name custard apple is sometimes used for sugar apple (sweetsop) which actually is a different but related fruit species. Because of its shape the custard apple is also called Ox heart or Bull’s heart.

Names

Scientific
   Annona reticulata
English
   Buddha fruit
   Bull’s heart
   Bullock’s heart
   Custard apple
   Ox heart
   Wild sweetsop
Dutch
   Custardappel
   Ossenhart
Spanish
   Anona roja
French
   Annone réticulée
   Cœur de bœuf
German
   Netzannone
   Ochsenherz
Other
   Kasjoema

Taxonomy

Genus
   Annona
Family
   Annonaceae
Order
   Magnoliales

Basic information and facts

Origin:

Custard apple originates from the West Indies.

Distribution:

Custard apple is found throughout the tropics.

Evergreen or deciduous:

Deciduous

Flowers:

 

Leaves:

Leaves are elongated and lanceolate, about 10 to 15 cm long and 5 to 10 cm wide.

Fruits:

Custard apple fruits are 7 to 12 cm long. The fruits have a round but rather irregular shape, sometimes heart-shaped. The surface is reticulated. When ripe the fruits can be greenish brown or yellowish. Some trees have rather purple colored fruits. The white flesh is soft and sweet.

Climate and weather:

Custard apple prefers a warm humid climate.

Pollination:

Hand pollination is used to get better fruit setting.

Height:

Custard apple trees can be 5 to 10 meters tall.

Crown size:

 

Spacing (close range)

?

Spacing (wide range)

?

Propagation:

Usually propagated by seed. Sometimes inarching, budding or grafting is used.

Insect pests:

Mealybugs and fruit bats can be a problem.

Diseases:

 

Fruit development:

 

Harvesting:

Hand pick the fruits when they have lost their green color.

Uses:

Custard apple is usually eaten fresh as a snack or dessert.

Recipes

Fresh custard apple

Eat Custard apple as a fresh fruit. Break the fruit in two halves. With a small spoon, eat the delicious soft flesh. There are some smooth seeds; just spit them out.

Custard apple sherbet

Ingredients:
5 Custard apples, 75 g Caster sugar, some lemon rind

Instructions:
Boil 300ml water with the sugar. When sugar is dissolved (stir it), reduce the flame and simmer for 10 minutes to prepare a thin syrup. Let it cool down..Take the flesh from the custard apple and remove the seeds (use a sieve). Use a blender to mix the fruit pulp and syrup until smooth. Freeze it for 2 hours, then mash it with with a fork. Freeze it again until firm. Serve in small bowls, garnished with lime rind.

Custard apple smoothie

Remove the seeds from the custard apple. Blend with un-seeded dates. Add a few spoons of honey and blend again with low fat milk. You have a delicious smoothie to start your day after a great run!

Crop categories

Fruits
Food crops
Tropical crops

Pictures

Custard apple


Custard apple


Custard apple open fruit