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alligator apple
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alligator apple alligator apple tree
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Also called:
corkwood or pond apple
Related Topics:
custard apple
fruit
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alligator apple
alligator apple Alligator apple (Annona glabra).

alligator apple

plant
Also known as: Annona glabra, corkwood, pond apple
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

alligator apple, (Annona glabra), fruit tree (family Annonaceae) of tropical America valued for its roots, which serve many of the same purposes as cork. The edible fruit has a poor flavour and is not usually eaten fresh but is sometimes used for making jellies. See custard apple.

alligator apple tree
alligator apple tree Fruit of the alligator, or pond, apple tree (Annona glabra).

The alligator apple is a 12-metre (40-foot) evergreen tree. The simple oval leaves are 18 cm (7 inches) long. The unusual, yellow, fragrant flowers feature six to eight fleshy curved petals in two whorls and numerous stamens and pistils. The plant bears gnarled yellowish fruits, 5–10 cm (2–4 inches) long. The corky roots are used to make bottle corks and fishing floats and as rootstock for grafting less hardy species of Annona.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.