Home gardener says sugar apple can bear fruit in 2 years, and ripen into a custardy treat

A backyard food-forest harvest is giving viewers a vivid look at one of the sweetest rewards of growing your own produce.

Here's what to know

A YouTube video tracked a sugar apple over two days, with the poster first identifying one that looked ready on the tree, then clipping it and letting it soften overnight on the counter.

In his zone 10A food forest, Dan from Dan's Food Forest (@Danfoodforest) said sugar apple ranks among his five favorite fruits while showing a tree carrying a heavy crop. He also noted that the fruit set happened without hand pollination, saying he simply "let nature do its thing."

He explained that the fruit is ready to pick when the segmented surface starts to separate a bit and yellow or pink coloring appears in the spaces between those sections, after which it can finish ripening off the tree.

After sitting out overnight, the sugar apple had become soft enough to open easily, exposing pale flesh with a custard-like texture. 

"This is pure sugar goodness," Dan said as he cut it open.

One commenter wrote, "I appreciate you sharing how easy this sugar apple grows from seeds; it's surely worth a try in my climate."

More background

Home gardening can bring real consumer benefits. Growing fruits and vegetables helps lower grocery bills, especially when it comes to specialty produce that is expensive or hard to find.

It can also mean better flavor, since food harvested at the right moment often tastes noticeably better than produce that has traveled long distances.

There are health perks as well. Gardening can provide light physical activity, more time outdoors, and a calming routine that many people find helpful for stress. For those who enjoy cooking, it can also make healthy eating more appealing.

Dan also pointed out a practical reason not to leave the fruit hanging once it reaches full ripeness: It may drop from the tree and attract birds as its scent becomes stronger.

What can be done?

Dan described sugar apple as one of the simpler fruit trees to grow from seed in warm climates. 

"You get fruits in 2 years," he said. "You're going to have fruits on your tree." 

He added that gardeners in cooler places may still be able to try it in containers and bring plants indoors during colder stretches.

One commenter shared that pruning after harvest can help manage tree height and boost production, while another wrote, "I'll be trying those this year. For the first time, my tree has three fruits on it! So exciting!"

As Dan put it while showing off the opened fruit, "Perfect dessert from the garden."

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