| Custard Apple | |
| Annona reticulata | |
| a.k.a. Bullock's Heart |
Although somewhat less esteemed than the cherimoya and atemoya, the custard apple is well-liked in many parts of the world. In poor varieties the flesh is usually a bit less flavorful than its well-known relatives, but thankfully better varieties are spreading, having fairly good-flavored flesh. Fruits often have colorful skin with creamy, white or pale yellow flesh.
Description: Small tree to 20-35ft. Leaves can be quite pretty but trees often take on irregular shapes. The tree is popular as a rootstock for other Annona species. Custard apple's have an advantage over other Annona's in that they tend to ripen slightly later in the year than their relatives, so during certain times of the year, only custard apple's are available.
Hardiness: It is tropical, but full -grown trees show hardiness to 26F.
Growing Environment: Grow in full sun. Water regularly.
Propagation: Usually by seeds. There are few named varieties and better strains are propagated by air layering and grafting.
Uses: Almost exclusively eaten fresh.
Native Range: Native to the Caribbean region but has spread across Central and South America, as well as Africa and Asia.