Custard apple is a common name applied to several related Annona fruits with soft, creamy flesh, most precisely Annona reticulata, though the name is also used loosely for the closely related but distinct cherimoya (Annona cherimola), a smoother-skinned, more heart-shaped fruit native to the Andean highlands of Ecuador and Peru. Both are eaten fresh with a spoon, scooped from the rind, and are used in smoothies, ice cream, and custards; their flavor is often described as a blend of pineapple, banana, and vanilla. The fruit bruises easily and is highly perishable, which limits wide commercial availability.