Family: Annonaceae

Annona reticulata, commonly known as ox-heart, bullock’s-heart, or custard-apple, is a tropical fruit tree native to the Americas and widely cultivated throughout the tropics. The tree is small to medium-sized, producing heart-shaped fruits with a reddish-brown to yellow-green skin and a soft, sweet, custard-like pulp that is eaten fresh or used in desserts, drinks, and traditional medicines. It grows best in warm climates with well-drained soils and is valued both as a backyard fruit tree and in small-scale orchards. Like many other Annona species, it has cultural and nutritional importance in the regions where it is grown.

In Hawaiʻi, Annona reticulata is not currently naturalized or invasive, but caution is warranted. In Australia, this species is considered an environmental weed, spreading into natural areas and displacing native vegetation. Its ability to establish beyond cultivation in other tropical regions indicates that it poses a potential risk to Hawaiʻi and other Pacific islands if it escapes into the wild. Responsible planting and careful management are recommended to prevent future impacts on native ecosystems.

High Risk Traits:

• Suited to tropical/subtropical climates
  
• Broad climate suitability
  
• History of repeated introductions worldwide
  
• Naturalized beyond its native range
  
• Documented as an environmental weed
  
• Congeneric species are invasive
  
• Toxic seeds and plant parts (to humans)
  
• Shade tolerant
  
• Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions
  
• Produces viable seeds
  
• Intentionally dispersed by people (cultivation)
  
• Animal-dispersed (seeds survive digestion by bats)

Low Risk Traits:

• No spines, thorns, or burrs
  
• Not toxic to animals
  
• Does not reproduce vegetatively
  
• No evidence of unintentional dispersal
  
• Not adapted for wind or water dispersal
  
• Not a prolific seed producer