Sugar Apple or Custard Apple

Custard Apple or Sugar Apple

I guess  I should write a bit  more on this very nice  fruit tree since I just had one fruit.   I mentioned  the  Custard Apple  before in my blog posted 31st August 2010 on fruit trees that I planted.  If one has space constraint  in the garden but would like to have a fruit tree in the garden, I guess the custard apple would be a good choice. The many merits that I can see about this fruit tree  are :- 

a) I planted the two plants I have from seeds and about a year later, they were  bearing fruits and have  continued to bear fruits from time to time. Even though the fruits  were a bit small, they tasted sweet, with the texture soft and tender.

b) The plant (grows as a small shrub) does not take up much space. I pruned it and the side branches come up fast.  It is a rather nice looking  small shrub.  Easy to pick  the fruits......just stretch out  with the pruning shears to cut the fruit !!

A tiny fruit and a bud 

c) It grows well under direct or partial sunlight.  Under too intense sunlight, the leaves tend to scorch and turn unsightly.  The leaves are actually light green when they are young. 

The flower - changes from green to yellowish

d) The flowers are nothing to shout about, but rather unique  as can be seen from the photos.

Sweet white flesh....yum!

e) The fruit is said to be rich in iron.  I normally pick the fruits when they are still firm.  One can tell the fruit is ready for picking when the 'bumps' on the fruit surface are a bit spread out instead of being very compact. Leave the fruit for a couple  of days or so in a dark place (my mother told us to keep the fruit in the rice grain container). When the fruit feels tender to the touch, it is ready to be eaten. Now that I think about it, I guess keeping the fruits in  the rice grain container makes sense since those days we cooked rice twice a day, so I guess the fruit won't be forgotten! 

Seeds..

Just pruned the stem - tiny buds... !

 f) This plant has no pest that I know of so far, it grows well and without much fuss.  No need to spray chemicals at all !

g) Since the fruit tree does not observe a particular  fruit season like the durian or rambutans, one can have the fruit all year round.  There is no worry on over production of fruits as it bears fruits now and  then - well spread out !

Yes, in conclusion this is indeed a nice fruit tree to have.  A word of caution - children eating this fruit should be supervised....we hear of  children being choked on nuts, sweets even ice......(what else?), so it pays to be on the safe side.  I used a spoon to scrape the flesh for my children when they were young.  They loved the fruit, even till today.