Ramphal, also called bullock’s heart, is a tropical American fruit tree grown in Indian homesteads and village orchards. Its fruit is heart-shaped with a smooth, faintly net-patterned skin that blushes red-brown when ripe. The flesh is creamy, sweet and slightly grainy, but less fragrant than sitaphal, Annona squamosa, the lumpy custard apple of Indian markets. Its seeds are poisonous.
- Botanical name
- Annona reticulata L.
- Family
- Annonaceae
- Tamil
- Ramachita
- Hindi
- Ramphal
- Parts used
- Ripe fruit
- Habit
- Homestead custard-apple cousin; English custard apple is a shop word
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Ramphal
It is a small tree, usually five to ten metres tall, often losing its leaves in the dry season.
The leaves are long and narrow, with a pointed tip and a strong smell when crushed, longer than those of sitaphal.
Drooping flowers have three thick, narrow, greenish-yellow outer petals with a purple spot inside.
The fruit is heart-shaped to round, ten to fifteen centimetres long, with a fairly smooth skin marked in a faint net of segments.
Sitaphal fruit is smaller and covered in raised knobs; soursop, Annona muricata, has soft spines.
Traditional use of Ramphal
Kitchen
The ripe fruit is split and the soft flesh is eaten with a spoon, or pulped for milkshakes and ice cream.
Indian homestead food practice
Household
In parts of India, powdered seed has been rubbed into the hair against head lice.
Indian household practice
Modern notes on Ramphal
Annona seeds contain acetogenins, compounds that are toxic to insects and are studied as natural insecticides.
Annona seed powder in the eyes has caused painful eye injuries, a hazard of the lice remedy.
In Guadeloupe, heavy eating of related soursop fruit and leaf tea has been linked to an unusual form of parkinsonism, and acetogenins are suspected.
The flesh supplies sugar, vitamin C and fibre.
Ramphal safety
Do not eat or crush the seeds, and keep seed powder away from the eyes. Eat the flesh in normal fruit amounts.
Ecology and sourcing
Small beetles pollinate the flowers, which is why fruit set is often low and uneven.
It is native to the Caribbean and Central America and spread to India in colonial times.
It tolerates poor soil and drought better than many fruit trees.
Related plants
Also in Annonaceae
Questions about Ramphal
Is ramphal the same as sitaphal?
No. Sitaphal is Annona squamosa, with a knobbly skin.
Why is Ramphal called bullock’s heart?
The fruit is heart-shaped and reddish when ripe.
Are the seeds of Ramphal edible?
No. The seeds are toxic and should be discarded.
How do I know Ramphal is ripe?
It yields to gentle pressure and the skin colours brown-red.
What does Ramphal taste like?
Sweet and creamy, but milder than sitaphal.
Sources
- Annona reticulata L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q472653 (Annona reticulata)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.