Common Name: Custard Apple

General Information

Annona squamosa, the custard apple, is an attractive, slow-growing deciduous shrub or small tree with a rounded or spreading, open crown[]. It reaches a height of 3 - 6 metres[].
A very popular fruit, the tree is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas around the world for its edible fruit[]. It is commonly sold in markets[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Caribbean.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild situation

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	6.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

Trees succeed in subtropical to tropical areas at elevations up to 2,000 metres, with a mean annual temperature up to 41°c and a mean annual rainfall above 700mm[]. They are said to do well in hot and relatively dry climates such as those of the low-lying interior plains of many tropical countries[]. Plants can tolerate occasional light frosts[].
Prefers a moist but well-drained, sandy loam with a pH around 6[]. Also succeeds on rocky, alkaline soils with a pH up to 8[].
The tree has a reputation, particularly in India, of being a hardy, drought-resistant crop. This is only partly correct. Although the rest period and leaf fall enable the tree to bridge a severe dry season, it requires adequate moisture during the growing season[].
Trees start to bear fruit when 3 - 4 years old[]. A mature tree, 5 metres high, produces several dozen fruits in a season[].
There are some named varieties[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. The sweet and creamy fruits are highly regarded as a dessert fruit[]. They can also be used to make sherbet, ice cream, jellies etc[]. The fruit is up to 10cm in diameter[].

Medicinal

Leaves, shoots, bark and roots have been reported to have medicinal properties[]. They are all strongly astringent and are used to treat diarrhoea and dysentery[]. The green fruits, seeds and leaves have effective vermicidal properties[].

The young shoots, combined with peppermint, are used in the West Indies to relieve colds and chills[]. In Cuba, the leaves are taken to lower uric acid levels in the blood[].

The unripe fruit is astringent[].

The root is a drastic purgative[].

The bark and leaves, combined with those of Annona muricata, are used in a sedative infusion[].

An infusion of the leaves and fruit is used to aid digestion and treat rheumatism[].

An oil distilled from the leaves is applied to the head for treating sleeplessness[].

The powdered seeds are an excellent vermifuge[].

Extracts of the plant have shown anticancer activity[].

Other Uses

Green fruits, seeds and leaves have effective vermicidal and insecticidal properties[]. The seeds contain the insecticide acetogin[].

The fibrous bark has sometimes been used locally for cordage[].

The light yellow sapwood and brownish heartwood are soft, light in weight and weak[].
The tree is a good source of firewood[].

Propagation

Seed - usually breeds true to type[]. Sow in individual pots, not deeper than 2cm, at 21°c[]. They germinate within 2 - 4 weeks, and the seedlings are ready for planting out after 6 months[].
The seed of many species in this genus has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing[].
Semi-ripe cuttings[].
Budding is done at the beginning of the growing season when the sap flows freely. Cleft-grafting is the method more commonly used.
Air-layering

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