Bullock's Heart / Custard Apple (Ata) Plants

Custard Apple plant a semi-evergreen fruit plant that belongs from family of “Annonaceae” and scientific name of this plant is “Annona reticulate” which is known as “Ata” in Bengali. Fruit of this plant known as Custard Apple; there have many variety of custard apple like “Annona squamosa” that is called “sugar apple” and “Annona senegalensis”, which is called “wild custard apple”.  Sugar apple is also called “Sweetsop” for its sweet flavour and the taste of this fruit is like custard so this fruit is called custard apple. Its shape is very irregular in its shape, for this reason it is known as “bullock's heart” or “bull's heart”. This fruit is green in color when this fruit is in unripe condition and when this fruit is in ripe condition then it is brownish or yellowish in color.

Custard apple is sun loving plant and for its healthy growing it needs full of sunlight. It needs watering regularly and but it needs well drained soil because of standing water is harmful for its well growth. Fertilizing in once or twice within fifteen days is preferable for this plant growth.