Sugar apple
Annona squamosa L.
Sugar apple (Annona squamosa) is a small tree of the custard apple family; its fruit is made of soft segments with a sweet, creamy aroma, rich in sugars, vitamin C and potassium, and is mainly eaten fresh.
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Sugar appleSugar apple fruit
Sugar apple
Sugar apple
Sugar apple
Sugar apple
Sugar appleSugar appleSugar apple fruitOverview
Sugar apple is a small, semi-deciduous tree 3–8 m tall with an open crown; its simple oval leaves are alternate. Small greenish-yellow flowers grow singly or in clusters. The fruit is spherical to heart-shaped, 5–10 cm across, its skin studded with knobby segments; as it ripens the segments separate slightly, revealing soft, fragrant, sweet white flesh and many shiny black seeds.
Sugar apple originated in the West Indies and Central America and is grown throughout the tropics; in Vietnam it is famous in Ninh Thuận, Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, Tây Ninh ('na dai') and the Southeast. The fruit is eaten fresh or made into smoothies, ice cream and jam; the seeds and leaves are mildly toxic and used in folk medicine with caution.
Life cycle
From seed to productSeed & germination
The plant is propagated mainly by **seed**: sow fresh or pre-treated seed in loose, moist soil and keep it evenly damp; germination follows within a few weeks.
Seedling & growth
Seedlings establish, forming leaves and roots; growth rate depends on light and moisture.
Flowering
The plant blooms with **greenish-yellow flowers, April–July**; pollination is by insects and wind.
Fruiting & harvest
After flowering the plant sets fruit and seed; **ripe fruits picked August–November**.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- West Indies & Central America30%
- India25%
- Vietnam15%
- Others30%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- SugarsMain sweetness45%
- Vitamin CAntioxidant30%
- PotassiumBlood-pressure regulation25%
Uses
- Ripe fruit eaten fresh
- Smoothies, ice cream, jam
- Seeds and leaves in folk medicine (mildly toxic)
Properties
- Taste
- Sweet, creamy, aromatic
- Value
- Rich in sugars, vitamin C, potassium
Habitat & conservation
Hot tropical with a dry season; light, well-drained soil.
Conservation
Widely cultivated in the tropics; not threatened.
References
- 1Kew Science – Plants of the World Online: Annona squamosa — Kew (Plants of the World Online), 2026
- 2Wikipedia – Annona squamosa — Wikipedia, 2026