alligator apple

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.

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.