Editing Annona reticulata

{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Bullock's heart (''Annona reticulata'')
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Annona reticulata Blanco1.197-cropped.jpg|thumb|center|250px|Botanical illustration identified on the Commons file page as ''Annona reticulata''. Plate by Francisco Manuel Blanco, public domain.]]
|-
! Scientific name
|| ''Annona reticulata''
|-
! Common names
|| Bullock's heart; custard apple in some regional usage
|-
! Genus
|| [[Annona]]
|-
! Family
|| [[Annonaceae]]
|-
! Order
|| [[Magnoliales]]
|-
! Fruit type
|| Fleshy aggregate fruit
|-
! Growth form
|| Deciduous to semi-evergreen tree, commonly about 7–10 m in cultivation accounts
|-
! Native range
|| Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America are reported; the original wild range is treated inconsistently
|-
! Climate and site
|| Tropical to subtropical; warm conditions and a humid atmosphere, with good drainage
|-
! Propagation
|| Seed and semi-ripe cuttings; method and result vary
|-
! Fruit
|| Edible, soft custard-like fruit; quality varies among selections and regions
|-
! Years to fruit
|| N/A; no species-wide value established across seedlings, cuttings, and selections
|-
! Harvest
|| Season varies with climate and tree; local flowering and fruit-set records are needed
|}

'''Bullock's heart''' ('''''Annona reticulata''''') is a tropical and subtropical fruit tree in the custard-apple family. It is distinct from sugar apple (''Annona squamosa''), although “custard apple” is used for more than one species in regional trade and horticulture.<sup id="cite_ref-1">[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-2">[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

== Description ==
[[File:Annona reticulata fruits.JPG|thumb|left|240px|Fruit identified on the Commons file page as ''Annona reticulata''. Photo by Ks.mini, CC BY-SA 3.0.]]

''Annona reticulata'' is described as a fast-growing deciduous to semi-evergreen tree. Mature heights range from about 7 m to about 10 m, so the eventual size depends on climate, soil, pruning, and the planting material. The fruit is edible and soft-textured, but flavor and quality vary among regional and cultivated selections.<sup id="cite_ref-3">[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-7">[[#cite_note-7|[7]]]</sup>

The species is treated as a distinct ''Annona'' in botanical, agricultural, and plant-health records. Its relationship to other custard apples should be kept explicit when a common name is used, because sugar apple and related names can refer to different species.<sup id="cite_ref-5">[[#cite_note-5|[5]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-6">[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup>

== Distribution and habitat ==
Reports place bullock's heart in Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, with frequent cultivation outside the area where it is considered native. Accounts describe moist or seasonally dry thicket and forest settings, generally at low to moderate elevations. The boundary between native populations and long-established cultivation is not uniform across references, so regional records should be read with that qualification.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-4">[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup>

== Cultivation ==
Bullock's heart is suited to warm tropical conditions and can survive in some subtropical climates when protected from damaging cold. Compared with sugar apple, it is described as less tolerant of prolonged drought and more responsive to humid atmospheric conditions. Use a site that can be irrigated during extended dry weather without allowing the root zone to remain saturated.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup>

=== Soil and water ===
Natural and cultivated accounts associate the species with moist or seasonally dry thickets and forest soils rather than permanently waterlogged ground. A deep, well-drained soil with useful organic matter is the safer interpretation for cultivation: retain moisture through dry periods, but remove excess water promptly after heavy rain. A raised or sloping position is preferable where the native soil is heavy or drainage is uncertain.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup>

Water regularly while a young tree establishes and during prolonged drought. The species' reported lower drought tolerance than sugar apple is a reason to avoid relying on occasional deep watering alone in a hot, dry site.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

=== Sun and humidity ===
Warmth and a humid atmosphere support growth. A sunny position is useful for a fruiting tree, while protection from drying winds can reduce stress in subtropical or seasonally dry locations. Maintain airflow around the canopy rather than enclosing the tree in stagnant, continuously wet air.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

=== Seasonal changes ===
The tree may be deciduous or semi-evergreen, with leaf retention and the timing of growth influenced by rainfall and temperature. In a pronounced dry season, irrigation should be increased before the foliage and developing fruit are stressed; after the wet season begins, drainage becomes the priority. Flowering and harvest dates are climate- and selection-dependent, and no single calendar applies across the reported range.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup>

== Propagation ==
Seed is a conventional propagation route, but seedlings are sexually variable and should not be assumed to reproduce the fruit quality of a selected tree. A horticultural account also reports semi-ripe cuttings as a possible method. Propagation results depend on freshness, moisture, temperature, rooting material, and the genotype used; a single species-wide protocol is not established here.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

No reliable species-wide years-to-fruit figure applies to seedlings and cuttings alike. A useful record should identify the propagation method, selection, climate, planting date, first flowering, and first harvest rather than treating a regional estimate as universal.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-7|[7]]]</sup>

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==
Flowering and fruit development vary with rainfall, temperature, tree age, and selection. In climates with a distinct dry period, the transition from dry to wet conditions may alter the timing of vegetative growth and reproductive activity, but a consistent species-wide flowering calendar is not established. Monitor the individual tree for flowering, fruit set, and the change in fruit texture that signals maturity.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup>

Harvest fruit when it has developed the expected softness and aroma for the selection, handling it carefully because the ripe flesh is tender. Regional quality reports are not interchangeable: cultivar and growing conditions can change flavor, texture, and fruit size.<sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-7|[7]]]</sup>

== Fruit and uses ==
The ripe fruit is eaten fresh and is described in regional horticultural literature as a custard-like fruit. “Custard apple” should be qualified when necessary because the same market name is also used for sugar apple and other ''Annona'' species. Fruit quality is variable, and cultivar-level flavor claims should not be generalized to the species.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-7|[7]]]</sup>

Seeds and other non-fruit tissues are reported as toxic. Do not eat the seeds or use leaves, bark, roots, or other non-fruit parts as food; preparation and medicinal claims require separate safety evidence rather than assumptions based on the edible pulp.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-7|[7]]]</sup>

== Photos ==
[[File:Annona reticulata fruit.JPG|260px|Fruit identified on the Commons file page as ''Annona reticulata''. Photo by Ks.mini, CC BY-SA 3.0.]]

== References ==
* <span id="cite_note-1"></span>[[#cite_ref-1|↑]] '''[1]''' [https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/match?name=Annona%20reticulata GBIF species match: ''Annona reticulata''].

* <span id="cite_note-2"></span>[[#cite_ref-2|↑]] '''[2]''' [https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Annona%20reticulata Plants of the World Online: ''Annona reticulata''].

* <span id="cite_note-3"></span>[[#cite_ref-3|↑]] '''[3]''' [https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Annona+reticulata Useful Tropical Plants: ''Annona reticulata''].

* <span id="cite_note-4"></span>[[#cite_ref-4|↑]] '''[4]''' [https://www.fao.org/3/a-ab777e.pdf FAO RAP 2001/26, ''Under-utilized Tropical Fruits of Thailand''].

* <span id="cite_note-5"></span>[[#cite_ref-5|↑]] '''[5]''' [https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.5816 CABI Compendium: ''Annona reticulata''].

* <span id="cite_note-6"></span>[[#cite_ref-6|↑]] '''[6]''' [https://doi.org/10.1079/pwkb.species.5816 PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank: ''Annona reticulata''].

* <span id="cite_note-7"></span>[[#cite_ref-7|↑]] '''[7]''' [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8661-7_29 Lim, ''Annona reticulata'', in ''Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants''].

== Image credits ==
* Summary image: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annona_reticulata_Blanco1.197-cropped.jpg Francisco Manuel Blanco], public domain.
* Description image: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annona_reticulata_fruits.JPG Ks.mini], CC BY-SA 3.0.
* Photos image: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annona_reticulata_fruit.JPG Ks.mini], CC BY-SA 3.0.

[[Category:Fruits]]
[[Category:Tropical fruit plants]]
[[Category:Annona]]