Custard apple

Custard Apple is a common name for a fruit, and the tree which bears it, Annona reticulata. The fruits vary in shape, heart-shaped, spherical, oblong or irregular. The size ranges from 7 centimeters to 12 centimeters, depending on the cultivar. When ripe, the fruit is brown or yellowish, with red highlights and a varying degree of reticulation, depending again on the variety. The flavor is sweet and pleasant, akin to the taste of 'traditional' custard.

Description

The Custard Apple tree is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a height of 8 m to 10 m. The leaves are thin, oblong while the flowers are greenish - yellow. The fruit is round to conical, 5 cm to 10 cm in diameter and 6 cm to 10 cm in length, and is covered with a rind composed of knobby segments. The color is typically pale green through blue-green, with a deep pink blush in certain varieties, and typically has a bloom. It is unique among Annona fruits in being segmented, and the segments tend to separate when the fruit ripens, exposing the interior.

The flesh is fragrant and sweet, creamy white through light yellow, and resembles and tastes like custard. It is found adhering to 13 to 16 mm long seeds forming individual segments arranged in a single layer around a conical core. It is soft, slightly granular, and slippery. The hard, shiny seeds may number 20-40 or more per fruit and have a brown to black coat, although varieties exist that are almost seedless.

Cultivation and uses

Custard apples are grown in many tropical regions and are also known as sugar apple or sweetsop. They are grown in diverse environments such as in Honduras, Brazil, Palestine, and Australia. The tree is not especially attractive. It is erect, with a rounded or spreading crown and trunk 10 to 14 inches thick. Interest in its cultivation is mainly for the fruit, which can be eaten out of hand when fully ripe.

Nutritional value

Custard apples are a good source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant and helps in neutralizing harmful free radicals. The fruit is also rich in vitamin A, which is good for healthy skin and hair, and vitamin B6, which helps in brain development.

See also

• Annona cherimola
• Annona squamosa
• Annona muricata
• Annona senegalensis
• Annona diversifolia