The purple-tinged flowers of the custard apple, Asimina triloba, bring botanical interest to the Woodland Garden.
Asimina triloba is one of only 8 species within this genus, which belongs to the tropical family Annonaceae. It is the only member of the genus hardy in the British Isles, and during hot summers it will produce edible, bottle-shaped fruits, but these seldom ripen in our climate. The flower calyx is three-lobed, hence the specific epithet ‘triloba’, and each flower comprises six petals which form a stout, pendent flower. This is a native of the south-eastern United States, where it occurs in rich, moist soils. First introduced into cultivation by Peter Collinson in 1736, this species remains a curiosity, rather than a favourite, of the garden.