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Fact Sheet HS-38
April 1994
The Sugar Apple1
R.L. Phillips and C.W. Campbell2
Other Common Names: Sweetsop, Anon
severity of the winter. Dull, pale green, sparsely hairy
when young but smooth at maturity.
Scientific Name: Annona squamosa Linn.
Family: Annonaceae
Origin: Tropical America
Distribution: Grown throughout the tropics. Its
range in Florida is restricted mainly to the lower
east and west coasts where it can be safely grown
from Punta Gorda on the west and Palm Beach
on the east, south to Key West. However, it can
be found further north on both coasts in warm,
well protected locations.
Importance: The sugar apple has been widely
planted in home gardens of South Florida
because of its high quality fruit and good
adaptation to the area. Some fruit is found in
local markets but commercial production is on a
very limited scale.
DESCRIPTION
Tree: Small, open tree with a rounded head and
long, slender branches, rarely exceeding 15 feet in
height and width.
Leaves: Thin, lanceolate to oblong lanceolate, 2½
to 4 inches long and deciduous, depending upon the
Flowers: Greenish yellow, about 1 inch long,
produced singly or in clusters of 2 to 4 in late spring.
Fruit: Heart-shaped, round, ovate or conical,
from 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Composed of loosely
cohering segments which project as rounded
protuberences and are easily separated when the fruit
is ripe. The thick skin is yellowish green in color and
usually covered with a white or bluish bloom. The
pulp is white or creamy white, with a custard-like
consistency and a sweet, pleasant flavor. Numerous
small, shiny, dark brown seeds are embedded in the
pulp.
Season: The fruits do not ripen all at one time,
giving it a fairly long season. It begins in midsummer
and lasts through fall, but it may last to midwinter if
there is no frost, giving a season from 3 to as long as
6 months.
PRODUCTION
The sugar apple is relatively productive with
seedlings producing in 3 or 4 years from seed and an
average annual yield of about 50 fruit per tree.
Exceptional trees may produce over 100 fruits per
year.
1.
This document is Fact Sheet HS-38, a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food
and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: April 1994.
2.
R.L. Phillips, Former Extension Horticulturist, Horticultural Sciences Department; C.W. Campbell, Emeritus Extension Horticulturist, Tropical
Research and Education Center, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville
FL 32611.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational
information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national
origin. For information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension Service office.
Florida Cooperative Extension Service / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences / University of Florida / John T. Woeste, Dean
The Sugar Apple
Page 2
CULTIVARS
Most sugar apple trees grown in Florida are
seedlings since there is little variability among them.
However, two selections have been introduced which
are somewhat different. One is a seedless form
(’Seedless’) with seemingly identical selections from
Brazil and Cuba (’Cuban Seedless’ and ’Brazilian
Seedless’). This form is not likely to be widely grown
because the fruit splits very badly as it matures on the
tree and fruit quality appears to be slightly inferior to
most-seedling fruit. A purple fruited form (’Purple’)
from Cuba has purple skin and a purplish or pinkish
flesh. Although attractive in appearance, internal
quality is somewhat inferior to that of the average
seedling.
PROPAGATION
Most sugar apple trees in Florida have been
grown from seed since there is little variability among
seedlings. Improved selections can be propagated by
grafting or budding onto suitable rootstocks. Veneer
grafting on custard apple is the preferred method of
vegetative propagation but sugar apple and atemoya
are also suitable for use as rootstocks. Shield budding
has also given satisfactory results in Florida.
CLIMATE AND SOILS
The sugar apple is well adapted to South Florida
where it is grown only in the warmer areas because of
its sensitivity to frost. Mature trees are not seriously
injured by temperatures of 28° or 29°F, but young
trees may be killed at 30°F. The tree sheds its leaves
on the advent of cold weather and may remain
dormant until spring, depending on temperature and
the amount of rainfall during winter. The tree can
withstand long periods of drought but does so by
shedding leaves to the detriment of fruit development.
It grows best in full sun or partial shade.
SOILS
The sugar apple grows best in good, fertile soil
with a pH of 7.0 to 8.0. Acid soils should be limed.
The tree has poor tolerance to salt or flooding.
PLANTING
The sugar apple should be planted in a sunny,
well-drained location with adequate space for normal
growth. A suitable spacing for a commercial orchard
would be about 20’ by 15’ or closer if the trees are to
be thinned. An organic material such as peat,
compost or rotted manure should be mixed with the
planting soil in most cases for better water and
nutrient retention.
CULTURAL PRACTICES
Adequate nutrition is essential for good tree
growth and fruit production. Newly planted trees
should be fertilized with a complete fertilizer such as
6-6-6 with 3% MgO. Start with no more than ¼
pound at monthly intervals, increasing the rates
proportional to growth. A mixture with reduced
phosphorous content, such as 8-3-9-5, is more
appropriate after the trees are a few years old. Apply
nutritional sprays annually or as needed.
The trees must be watered immediately after
planting and must not be allowed to become too dry
for them to have a good start. Frequent irrigation
during hot, dry weather is very important for good
fruit production.
Very little pruning is required beyond removal of
dead wood and broken branches and cutting back
some long branches to shape the tree.
PESTS AND DISEASES
The annona seed borer and ambrosia beetle are
the most important pests which attack the sugar
apple. The annona seed borer lays eggs in the seeds
of very young fruits. The insects develop in the seeds
and emerge as adults when the fruit is nearing
maturity, ruining the fruit in the process. This is
often followed by a fungus infection which causes
mummification of the fruit. Ambrosia beetles may
cause a problem by boring into young stems, resulting
in die-back during the winter months when growth is
slow.
HARVESTING AND HANDLING
The fruits split open when allowed to mature on
the tree, especially during the rainy season. They
should be picked a few days before reaching full
maturity. They will ripen off the tree in a few days
and can be held several more days in the refrigerator.
Because it becomes rather soft and perishable, the
fruit is not adapted to shipping for long distances, so
most of it is sold locally.
The Sugar Apple
Page 3
USES
The sugar apple is consumed principally as a
dessert fruit. The pulp has an excellent flavor and is
usually eaten fresh but it may also be used to make a
delicious ice cream or a milkshake. Culture in home
gardens has become widespread and it is available in
many nurseries. Commercial development of this
crop has been quite limited and most is sold in local
markets.