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Fruit tree

Custard apple

Annona cherimola × Annona squamosa · also Atemoya

A semi-deciduous tree with creamy, sweet fruit, at its best in the subtropics. It also crops in warm, sheltered temperate gardens with a sunny, north-facing spot, but won't set fruit in cold spells and young trees are frost-tender. Not suited to cold inland or southern areas.

When to plant where you live

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Add custard apple to my garden

Planting times for other areas

Varieties (4)

  • African PrideSmaller tree that crops early; good for backyards
  • Hillary WhiteExcellent flavour; suits home gardens
  • KJ PinksLarge, export-quality fruit and reliable yields
  • Pinks MammothLarge, excellent-flavoured fruit; good for backyards

From seed to plate

  1. Plant

    600 cm apart. Full sun.

  2. Water

    Regular deep water from flowering through fruit fill; less in winter.

  3. Feed

    Organic fertiliser in spring and summer, with extra potash as fruit fills.

  4. Pick

    Pick when the skin lightens and the bumps smooth out; ripen at room temperature, not in the fridge.

Good to know

  • Prune in autumn for height, in spring to lift the skirt, and in summer to remove water shoots
  • Buy a grafted tree of a named variety
  • Don't crush or eat the seeds

Common problems

  • Poor fruit set in cool or dry weatherhand pollinate with a small brush
  • Fruit fly and mealybugs on fruitbag fruit and keep the canopy open
  • Root rot in heavy soilplant in deep, free-draining soil
  • Chill injurydon't refrigerate fruit below about 8 °C

If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.

Ask the garden helper about custard appleAny question, answered from the plant libraryHow others are growing custard appleQuestions, tips and harvests from the community

Wildlife

Good for: insects.

Safety: Flesh is an everyday food. Seeds, leaves and bark of Annona species contain annonaceous acetogenins; crushed seeds irritate eyes and skin and are not safe to eat. Keep seeds away from children and pets.

Where this information comes from
  • ABC Gardening Australia: Fruit Nerd Fruits: Custard Apples (growing, medium confidence, checked 29 Oct 2026)
  • Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Custard apple growing (growing, low confidence)
  • Annona seed toxicity (annonaceous acetogenins): published reviews, not yet checked against a poison centre (toxicity, low confidence)

Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 29 Oct 2026. Version 1.