Red Custard Apple (Annona squamosa) - LIVE PLANT

Plant Insights and Care

Propagation Type: Seedling (grown from seed).

Red Custard Apple (Annona squamosa), also called red sugar apple or sweetsop, bears distinctly segmented fruit with red to purple skin. This listing is for the red-fruited type; a named cultivar has not been confirmed.

• Sun Exposure: Give good light and shelter young plants during establishment.
• Watering: Keep moisture reasonably even during growth and fruit development, with drainage between irrigations. Reduce watering when the tree is inactive.
• Soil: Use well-drained soil with organic matter. Avoid permanently saturated roots.
• Temperature and Humidity: Suited to warm climates. Protect flowers and young fruit from drying wind; performance at 40–45°C is not guaranteed.
• Fertilization: Feed moderately during active growth, avoiding concentrated fertilizer around the trunk.
• Pruning: Train a balanced framework and remove dead or crowded branches. Use light pruning rather than repeatedly stripping the canopy.
• Growth Rate and Size: A branching fruit tree requiring canopy space. Seedlings can vary in growth and fruit quality.
• Pollination: Flower parts mature at different stages, which can limit natural fruit set. Hand pollination may help where suitable pollinating insects are scarce.

Key Points

• Seedling fruit traits may vary.
• Eat the flesh only; discard the seeds.

Fruit Profile

The fruit has prominent, rounded segments and red to purple skin. When ripe, the flesh becomes soft, sweet and creamy, with dark seeds inside. Allow the fruit to soften before opening; eat only the flesh and discard the skin and seeds. Skin colour and segment shape vary between red-fruited selections.