The Custard Apple, Soursop, Sweetsop, Sugar Apple are common names applied to several species within the Annona genus. The photos on this page are Annona squamosa unless otherwise stated.
The common names are not applied reliably, but the table below is a guide to usage for the most popular edible species.
| Botanical Name | Common Name(s) |
|---|---|
| Annona muricata | Soursop |
| Annona reticulata | Custard Apple, Wild Sweetsop |
| Annona cherimola | Cherimoya, Custard Apple |
| Annona squamosa | Sugar-apple, Sweetsop, Custard Apple |
| Annona squamosa × Annona cherimola (hybrid) | Pineapple Sugar-apple |
Sugar-apple (Annona squamosa)
My personal preference is the Sugar-apple (Annona squamosa). This deciduous tree looks dead in its dormant state, but is a riot of beautiful light green leaves in summer.
The sugar-apple is also a favorite of the birds. The segmented skin of the ripe fruit allows a bird’s beak easy access to the sweet and perfumed inner pulp.
For human harvesters, the ripe fruit is quite messy – the skin breaks away easily and you need to eat around the large seeds.
For more details, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annona