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[Image: custard_apple_2.jpg]

The Sugar-apple (Annona squamosa), also known in English as Sweetsop and Custard-apple and is known as araticum, fruta-do-conde, atis in the Philippines, Seethaphal in India, srikaya in Indonesia and fruta do conde in Brazil, is a species of Annona native to the tropical Americas. It is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub or small tree reaching 8 m tall. The leaves are alternate, simple, oblong-lanceolate, 7-12 cm long and 3-4 cm broad. The flowers are produced in clusters of 3-4, each flower 2-3 cm across, with six petals, yellow-green spotted purple at the base.

The fruit is usually round or slighly pine cone-like, 6-10 cm diameter, with a scaly or lumpy skin. The fruit flesh is white, and resembles and tastes like custard. The name "custard-apple" is frequently, though technically incorrectly, used to refer to this species.

Different cultures have their unique names for the sugar-apple. For instance it is also known as Budda Head in Taiwan and in Thailand it is called Noi-Na (น้อยหน่าWink which is also the common name for a hand-grenade. In India it is commonly called Sitaphal (literally meaning "Sita fruit"). In Vietnam, it is called "na". In the Philippines it is called atis. In Hawaii it's often referred to as a Rollinia.
I wonder if these can be grown in England at all? I imagine it would be too cold.
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