| Both in tree and in fruit, the custard apple, Annona reticulata L., is generally rated as the mediocre or "ugly duckling" species among the prominent members of this genus. Its descriptive English name has been widely misapplied to other species and to the hybrid ATEMOYA, and it is sometimes erroneously termed "sugar apple", "sweetsop" and, by Spanish-speaking people,"anon" or "rinon", in India, "ramphal", all properly applied only to Annona squamosa. It has, itself, acquired relatively fewappropriate regional names. It is generally called in the Philippines anunas and sarikaya; in India ramphal, nona or luvuni, in Malaya, nona kapri, or lonang; in Thailand, noi nong";; in Cambodia, mo bat or mean bat; | |
The custard apple tree is not especially attractive. It is erect, with a rounded or spreading crown and trunk 10 to 14 in (25-35 cm) thick. Height ranges from 15 to 35 ft (4.5-10 m). The ill-smelling leaves are deciduous, alternate, oblong or arrow-lanceolate, 4 to 8 in (10-20 cm) long, 3/4 to 2 in (2 5 cm) wide, with conspicuous veins. Flowers, in drooping clusters, are fragrant, slender, with 3 outer fleshy, narrow petals 3/4 to 1 1/4 in (2 3 cm) long; light-green externally and pale-yellow with a dark-red or purple spot on the inside at the base. The flowers never fully open.
The compound fruit, 3 l/4 to 6 1/2 in (8-16 cm) in diameter, may be symmetrically heart-shaped, lopsided, or irregular; or nearly round, or oblate, with a deep or shallow depression at the base. The skin, thin but tough, may be yellow or brownish when ripe, with a pink, reddish or brownish-red blush, and faintly, moderately, or distinctly reticulated. There is a thick, cream-white layer of custardlike, somewhat granular, flesh beneath the skin surrounding the concolorous moderately juicy segments, in many of which there is a single, hard, dark-brown or black, glossy seed, oblong, smooth, less than 1/2 in (1.25 cm) long. Actual seed counts have been 55, 60 and 76. A pointed, fibrous, central core, attached to the thick stem, extends more than halfway through the fruit. The flavor is sweet and agreeable though without the distinct character of the cherimoya, sugar apple, or atemoya.
The custard apple is believed to be a native of the West Indies but
it was carried in early times through Central America to
southern Mexico. It has long been cultivated and naturalized as far
south as Peru and Brazil. It is commonly grown in the
Bahamas and occasionally in Bermuda and southern Florida. Apparently
it was introduced into tropical Africa early in the 17th century and it
is grown in South Africa as a dooryard fruit tree. In India the tree is
cultivated, especially around Calcutta, and runs wild in many areas. It
has become fairly common on the east coast of Malaya, and more or less
throughout southeast Asia and the Philippines though nowhere particularly
esteemed. Eighty years ago it was reported as thoroughly naturalized
in Guam. In Hawaii it is not well known.
Seed is the usual means of propagation. Nevertheless, the tree can be
multiplied by inarching, or by budding or grafting onto its
own seedlings or onto soursop, sugar apple or pond apple rootstocks.
Experiments in Mexico, utilizing cherimoya, llama,
soursop, custard apple, Annona sp. Af. lutescens and Rollinia jimenezii
Schlecht. as rootstocks showed best results when
custard apple scions were side-grafted onto self-rootstock, soursop,
or A. sp. Af. lutescens. Custard apple seedlings are
frequently used as rootstocks for the soursop, sugar apple and atemoya.
The tree is fast-growing and responds well to mulching, organic fertilizers
and to frequent irrigation if there is dry weather during the growing period.
The form of the tree may be improved by judicious pruning.