Native & adapted

Sugar apple

Annona squamosa

Also known as Sweetsop · Custard apple · Sitaphal · Mãng cầu na

A small tree with knobby green fruit full of sweet, custardy segments. Loves heat but needs frost protection and afternoon shade.

EdibleFruitingSemi-deciduousContainer friendlyFrost tender

Landscape layersLower canopy

Mature size

10–15 ft tall and 10–15 ft wide

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b

Plant spacing

10–12 ft from other trees

Frost

Damaged at 32°F; killed below about 28°F without protection.

Special categories

EDIBLE

Hardiness guidance

USDA 10–11; damaged near 32°F and killed below about 28°F

Winter chill

None

Typical harvest

Late summer through fall. Pick when the gaps between segments turn cream-colored.

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Soil chemistry

Fast-draining soil rich in compost. Phoenix soil is alkaline, so work in soil sulfur and organic matter and use chelated iron if new leaves turn yellow between the veins.

Required microclimate

Placement is part of the growing system.

Warm, sheltered spot with afternoon shade and frost cover.

Cold hardiness

Cover in a hard freeze below 32°F

Unprotected young trees are badly damaged or killed at 30 to 32°F. Mature trees take short dips to 28 to 29°F but are damaged or killed at 26 to 28°F, so cover young trees every frost and established ones in a hard freeze.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 32°F

Heat tolerance

Shade from late-afternoon sun

It has a reputation in India as a hardy, drought-resistant tree, but it sets poorly when humidity is under 70% at bloom, which is always in Phoenix. Hand pollinate, shelter it from dry wind, and give afternoon shade in the hottest spots.

Sources:

edis.ifas.ufl.edu , hort.purdue.edu , tropical.theferns.info

Right plant, right place

Will Sugar apple grow at your Arizona property?

Often sold simply as custard apple. Fruits within 2 to 3 years.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Morning sun with afternoon shade from June through September, such as the east side of a house or under a taller nurse tree. Protect from frost on winter nights.

Water

Irrigation

Moderate in the growing season; light in winter, when it rests.

Fruit set

Pollination

Self-fertile, but hand pollination improves fruit set.

Harvest

How to use it

Pull apart and eat the sweet segments fresh. Seeds are toxic.

Planting & stewardship

How to help Sugar apple thrive

1
Hand pollinate flowers with a brush for a bigger crop.
2
Cut watering back while it is leafless in winter.
3
Cover with frost cloth on nights below 32°F.
4
Prune lightly in late winter.

Read the horticultural reference ↗