Sugar Apple (Sweetsop): The Tropical Custard Fruit
Annona squamosa — sister to the cherimoya — is one of the most-grown tropical fruits in lowland Asia and the Caribbean.
The sugar apple (Annona squamosa), also called sweetsop, is the lowland tropical cousin of the cherimoya. Native to the West Indies and tropical Americas, it spread quickly across the world in the 1500s and is now common in India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Origin and history
Native to the West Indies and parts of Central and South America. Portuguese and Spanish traders carried the fruit to the Philippines, India, and West Africa in the 1500s. In India it is known as sitaphal — "Sita's fruit" — and has been part of Hindu mythology and South Indian cuisine for over 400 years.
Where sugar apples grow today
India produces the most globally, followed by the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, and the Caribbean.
How to grow
USDA Zones 10-11. Small tree (4-6m). Prefers warm tropical lowland. Full sun, well-drained soil. First fruit in 3-5 years from seed.
Bottom line
Sweet custard flesh with a unique aroma. Easier to grow than its cherimoya cousin and one of the most-loved fruits in tropical home gardens worldwide.
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