Annona Squamosa Sharifa, Custard Apple, Sitafal - 0.5 kg Seeds

Custard apple or sitafal (Annona squamosa), also called sugar apple or sharifa, is a small deciduous tree of 3-8 m with a spreading, open crown of dull green oblong leaves that release a faint scent when crushed. It bears greenish-yellow drooping flowers, followed by the well-known knobbly, segmented fruit with sweet, fragrant, creamy white pulp around shiny black seeds. Native to tropical America, it is naturalised and widely grown throughout the drier parts of India, notably Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

It is cultivated mainly for its delicious dessert fruit, eaten fresh or used in ice creams, shakes and milk-based sweets. The tree is hardy and drought-tolerant, suited to wastelands and field bunds, while the seeds, leaves and bark have insecticidal and traditional medicinal uses. It is also planted in home gardens as a low-maintenance fruit tree.

• Family: Annonaceae
• Native region: Tropical America (naturalised in India)
• Mature height: 3-8 m
• Growth rate: Moderate

Sowing the seed: the hard black seeds germinate slowly, so soak them in water for 24-48 hours, and optionally nick or lightly scarify the seed coat, before sowing. Sow about 1-2 cm deep in well-drained, sandy nursery soil or polybags kept warm; germination is uneven and typically takes 21-30 days or more. Transplant the seedlings while young to avoid taproot damage, ideally at the start of the rains.