Sitaphal, Annona squamosa (Grown Through Seeds) - Plant

The flesh is fragrant and sweet, creamy white through light yellow, and resembles and tastes like custard. Well-branched tree or shrub from the family Annonaceae that bears edible fruits called sugar-apples. It tolerates a tropical lowland.

Plant Specifications

• Plant Height: 36 inch (91 cm)
• Plant Spread: 7 inch (18 cm)

*above specification are indicative only. actual dimensions may vary by +-10%

• Common Name: Sugar Apple, Custard apple, Sita Phal, Sharifa
• Maximum Reachable Height: 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 m)
• Flower Colour: Yellow-green
• Bloom Time: Summer, Spring
• Difficulty Level: Easy to grow

Planting and care

There must be adequate moisture in the soil to encourage vegetative growth and blooms that occur on the new branches. The tree should be watered in every 2 to 4 weeks during the period of low growth and every 3 to 5 days while it is flowering and setting fruits. Sugar apple is normally fairly low maintenance and quite easy to grow, as long as a level of basic care is provided throughout the year. Growing sugar apple tree requires weed management. the sugar apple is susceptible to wind damage. Therefore, it should be planted in a location that is sheltered from the wind.

Sitaphal care

Seed propagation is the traditional method, through which the sugar apple tree is grown. It is the most used propagation method. Plant spacing is 5 X 5 m. The plantation is done in the rainy season.

• Sunlight: Full Sun to Partial Shade
• Watering: Medium, to improve the fruit size and yield you should be done one or two irrigation when fruits are developing
• Soil: Custard apples grow best in sandy loam soils, but well-structured clay loams are also suitable
• Temperature: 25 to 41 degrees C
• Fertilizer: Apply any organic fertilizer
• Harvest Season: Summer, Spring

Sitaphal special feature
Sugar apples (Annona squamosa) are the fruit of one of the most commonly grown Annona trees.
Sitaphal uses

Medicinal Use

The bark and leaves contain annonaine, an alkaloid
In tropical America, a decoction of the leaves is used as a cold remedy and to clarify urine
A bark decoction is used to stop diarrhoea, while the root is used in the treatment of dysentery
Sugar-apple is high in energy, an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese, a good source of thiamine and vitamin B6, and provides vitamin B2, B3 B5, B9, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium in fair quantities
Note: USe only after consulting the specialist

Culinary Use

• The ripe fruits are edible: The sweetish fruit varies considerably in quality; some are eaten raw but most often they are used in preserves, drinks, ice cream, puddings etc