Bullock’s Heart,Annona reticulate, also known as Custard Apple and Ramphal, is considered to be indigenous of the Caribbean from where it spread to other tropical regions all over the world. Bullock’s heart is an upright, deciduous or semi-evergreen fruit bearing tree that grows 5-10 meters tall with a rounded or spreading crown and a trunk of 25-35cm in diameter.

Annona reticulate leaves are alternate, oblong or narrow-lanceolate, 10-20 cm long, 3cm wide, with obvious veins. Flowers are slender, light-green externally and pale-yellow with a dark-red or purple patch on the inside at the base with 3 fleshy, narrow petals 2 – 3 cm long. Flowers are aromatic, borne in drooping clustering of 3 or 4, never opening in full.

Bullock’s Heart Fruit

Bullock’s Heart Fruit is compound, 8-16 cm in diameter, with variable shape from a symmetrically heart-shaped to almost round with a deep or superficial depression at the base. Peel is thin but tough, could be yellow or brownish when ripe, with a pink, reddish or brownish-red blush.

Pulp is thick, cream-white and sweet, custard like, somewhat coarse containing several glossy, smooth, oblong seeds. The fruit is consumed fresh and is nutritious and rich in vitamins. Bullock’s Heart fruit has the advantage of being a late winter and spring crop when the other members of the genus are not in season.

Bullock’s Heart Propagation Methods

Tree propagation is by seed. The plant does best in lowland, deep, rich soil with plentiful moisture and good drainage. It is fast-growing tree and responds well to mulching, organic matter and to regular irrigation if there is dry weather during the growing period. Annona reticulate is a member of the family Annonaceae the genus Annona.

Bullock’s Heart, Annona reticulate

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