Though Bullock’s heart is widely grown, this fruit possess a little value. It has low flavor in comparison to sugar apple and cherimoya. It is a semi-deciduous or fast growing tree which 3-10 m high. The leaves are pointed and slender which is up to 1-3 inches wide and 5-8 inches long. The flowers are borne on clusters which are quite attractive. The fruits are heart shaped with thin and tough skin. The unripe fruits are green but it turns to brown or yellow when matured. The fruits have white thick flesh which holds dark and glossy seeds that measures about half inch long.
| Name | Bullock’s Heart |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Annona reticulata |
| Native | Native to West Indies, possibly in Antilles |
| Common/English Name | Bullock’s heart, Common Custard Apple, Custard apple, Jamaican Apple, Ox heart, Bull’s Heart, Sweetsop, Netted Custard Apple, annone reticule, cachiman, corossol reticule, coeur de boeuf, Ochsenherz, Netzannone, anoneira, biribá, coração-de-boi, fruta-do-conde, fruta-de-condessa, anona corazón, corazón de buey, anonillo, nätannona, mamán |
| Name in Other Languages | Carolinian: anoonas; Chamorro: anonas; Chinese: niu xin fan li zhi; English: custard apple; Fijian: chotka sarifa; French: zannone; Kwara‘ae: beretetutu; Maori (Cook Islands): tapotapo kirimoko; Niuean: talapo fua kula; Palauan: ngel ra ngebard; Spanish: anona; Tongan: ‘apele haati; Tuamotuan: taptapu; Aztec: Quaultzapotl; Bolivia: Chirimoya Roia; Brazil: Araticum Do Mato; Colombia: Anon Pelon; Cook Islands: Tapotapo Kirimoko; Cuba: Anón Injerto; Czech: Láhevník ostnitý; Danish: Netannona; Dominican Republic: Anón; Dutch: Buah Nona; Eastonian: Võrkannoona; El Salvador: Anona Rosada; Fijian: Uto Ni Mbulumakau; German: Netzannone; Guatemala: Anona De Seso; Honduras: Anona De Redecilla; India:- Bengali: Gom, Gujarati: Ramphal, Hindu: Ramphal, Kannada: Ram-Phal, Konkani: Anon, Malayalam: Manilanilam, Manipuri: Sitaphal, Marathi: Ramphal, Oriya: Ramphalo Ramopholo, Sanskrit: Krishnabija, Tamil: Ramapalam; Indonesia:- Malay: Buah Nona, Medan: Manowa, Java: Kanowa, Sundanese: Buah Nona, Madurese: Binoa, Binowa, Aceh: Serba Rabsa, North Sulawesi: Manunang, Ambon: Buah Njonja, Batak: Buah Nona, Bima: Sirikaya, Buginese: Sirikaya Susu, Flores: Amanona, Gorontalo: Buah Nona, Kai Islands: Boi Non, Lampong: Buah Jus, Makassar: Sirikaya Doke, Oelias, Ambon: Nona, Roti: Nona Daelok, Soemba, Timor: Tariwang Jawa, Timor: Ata Kase; Japanese: Gyuushinri; Khmer: Mo Bat; Kwara‘Ae: Beretetutu; Laotian: Khan Tua Lot; Malaysia: Nona Kapri; Maya: Oop; Mexico: Saramuyo; Nepalese: Ramphal; Netherlands Antilles: Kasjoema; Nicaragua: Anona De Redecilla; Niuean: Talapo; Philippines: Anonas; Portuguese: Coracao De Boi; Rotuman: Fat Manaova; Spanish: Corazón De Buey; Surinam: Kasjoema; Thailand:- Central: Noi Nong, South: Noi Nang, North: Manong; Tuamotuan: Taptapu; Vietnam:- South: Binh Bat, North: Qua Na; West Indies (French): Cachiman |
| Plant Growth Habit | Low, small, erect, semi-deciduous or semi-evergreen tree |
| Growing Climate | Warm and tropical |
| Soil | Low lying, deep and rich |
| Plant Size | Height: 3-10 m; Trunk diameter: 25-35 cm |
| Bark | Light brown; Inner bark: Light yellow |
| Leaf | Distichous, alternate, simple, coriaceous, oblong to lanceolate, Length: 10-20 cm; Width: 2.5-3.5 cm |
| Flower | Greenish to yellow, fragrant; Diameter: 2 cm (0.79 inches)-3 cm (1.2 inches) |
| Fruit shape & size | Ovoid to cordate, smooth, 10-15 × 7.5-12.5 cm |
| Fruit weight | 1 to 2 pounds |
| Fruit color | Reddish brown or red |
| Flesh color | White or cream |
| Fruit peel | Thin, tough |
| Flavor/aroma | Sweet, pleasant |
| Fruit Taste | Mildly sweet |
| Seed | Numerous, 50 to 75, oblong, smooth, compressed, glossy, dark brown |
| Major Nutritions | Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 19.2 mg (21.33%) Carbohydrate 25.2 g (19.38%) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.221 mg (17.00%) Iron, Fe 0.71 mg (8.88%) Potassium, K 382 mg (8.13%) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1 mg (7.69%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) 0.08 mg (6.67%) Total dietary Fiber 2.4 g (6.32%) Magnesium, Mg 18 mg (4.29%) Protein 1.7 g (3.40%) |
| Health Benefits |
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| Calories in 100 gm | 101 Kcal. |
| Traditional uses |
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| Precautions |
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| How to Eat |
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| Other Facts | In West Indies, the crushed leaves are used as dye or tattoo ink. |