The Red Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa), also called Sweetsop, is a self-pollinating tropical fruit tree that bears sweet, uniquely flavored fruit. Propagated from seed and grown in Homestead, Florida, it differs from the green sugar apple only in fruit color, with the same tree size and taste.
At a glance
Botanical name: Annona squamosa
Propagation: Grown from seed; self-pollinating
Light: Full sun
Water: Regular; well-drained soil
Size on arrival: 12 to 18 inches (1-gal), 2 to 3 feet (3-gal), 3 to 4 feet (7-gal), including container
Fruiting: Typically within 2 years from seed; mature trees yield 20 to 50 fruits
Type: Edible tropical fruit tree
Best for
Container gardening or in-ground planting
Warm, frost-free climates
Both new and experienced gardeners
Indoor and outdoor growing in various spaces
Fresh eating
How to grow
Plant in full sun in well-drained soil and water regularly. The tree drops its leaves over the winter months and leafs out again afterward, so expect seasonal dormancy. Grown from seed, it generally begins fruiting within two years.
Flavor profile
The fruit offers the sweet, custard-like, tropical flavor sugar apples are loved for. Red and green sugar apples share the same taste; only the fruit color differs.
About Everglades Farm
Everglades Farm grows its sugar apple trees in Homestead, Florida, where the subtropical climate provides an ideal environment for strong, healthy growth.
