Purple Sugar Apple – Fruit & Tree Description (Semi-Compact Variety)
Fruit Description
The Purple Sugar Apple produces medium to large, heart-shaped fruit with a rare and striking deep purple to dark red skin when mature. The flesh inside is snow-white, soft, creamy and completely fibreless, with a rich, sweet tropical flavour that combines notes of custard, vanilla, banana and lychee. It is widely regarded as one of the best-tasting sugar apple varieties available.
Fruit ripens to a soft touch and is best eaten fresh with a spoon. Seeds are minimal and easy to remove.
Key Fruit Features:
- Skin colour: Deep purple to dark red
- Flesh: White, creamy, fibreless
- Flavour: Very sweet, custard-like, low acidity
- Uses: Fresh eating, desserts, smoothies
- Average fruit size: 300–600g
Tree Description (Semi-Compact Growth Habit)
The Purple Sugar Apple tree is a semi-compact, manageable grower, making it ideal for home gardens, small orchards, and semi-large pots. It has a naturally open canopy with lush green foliage and excellent air circulation. The tree is fast bearing, often fruiting within 2–3 years under good conditions.
This variety thrives in warm, frost-free climates and performs very well in Queensland and northern NSW. It is drought tolerant once established and responds strongly to pruning for size control and increased fruit production.
Tree Characteristics:
- Mature height: 3–4 metres (can be kept smaller with pruning)
- Growth habit: Semi-compact
- Bearing age: 2–3 years
- Climate: Subtropical to tropical
- Sun: Full sun
- Soil: Well-drained, rich soil
- Water: Regular watering during flowering and fruiting
Why Choose the Purple Sugar Apple
- Rare purple-skinned sugar apple
- Exceptional eating quality
- Fibreless, creamy flesh
- Heavy producer
- Suits small yards and pots
