Soursop
The soursop tree originates from the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
Soursop is a fruit with an acidic taste. It is usually eaten fresh or squeezed for its juice.
Soursop is closely related to the sweeter custard apple. Seedless varieties of soursop are available which must be propagated by grafting
Names
Scientific
Annona muricata
Synonym
Annona sericea
English
Brazilian pawpaw
Prickly custard apple
Soursop
Dutch
Zuurzak
Spanish
Graviola
Guanábana
French
Corossol
Corossolier
German
Corossol
Guanábana
Guyabano
Sauersack
Stachelannone
Italian
Graviola
Guanabana
Other
Durian Belanda
Taxonomy
Genus
Annona
Family
Annonaceae
Order
Magnoliales
Basic information and facts
Origin:
Caribbean, Central America, South America
Distribution:
Caribbean, Central America, South America, South-East Asia
Evergreen or deciduous:
Evergreen
Flowers:
Leaves:
Fruits:
Fruits are 20 to 30 cm long. The green surface is prickly. The skin has a pattern of diamonds or squares, each with a soft bended thorn. Fruits can weigh up to over 2 kg. The taste of the fruit is slightly acidic (hence the name soursop) and can be compared with strawberry and pineapple mixed together. Inside the fruit is a white pulp with many seeds and fibrous membranes around pockets of flesh. The fruits contain vitamins C, B1 and
B2.
Climate and weather:
The soursop likes a climate with high humidity and relatively warm winters. The temperature should never fall below 5 °C.
Pollination:
Height:
Soursop are small trees that can be up to 10 meters tall but usually smaller.
Growth rate:
Spacing (close range)
3 to 4 meters
Spacing (wide range)
6 to 7 meters
Canopy:
Propagation:
Soursop is often grown from seeds but cuttings or shield-budding can be used to propagate a desired variety.
Insect pests:
Mealybugs, scale insects, fruit flies.
Diseases:
Fruit development:
Harvesting:
Fruits are hand-picked when full grown but still firm. They will then get ripe when kept for a few days. If fruits get ripe on the tree they fall down and break.
Uses:
The fruit is difficult to eat as it is and is therefore usually squeezed out to juice.
Recipes
Soursop drink (from the island of Curacao)
Peel the Soursop. Blend it at low speed (don’t crush the seeds) mixed together with milk and cinnamon. Strain it and it is ready to drink with ice (or crushed ice).
Crop categories
Fruits
Food crops
Tropical crops
Pictures
Soursop
Soursop
Eat it like a watermelon..wash the skin well, cut it in medium sized parts (with the skin) bite the white flesh off the skin then spit out the seed, you can either just chew or swallow the white flesh that is how we eat it in the philippines. it is ripe for eating when it is soft and mushy but not too much. the perfect taste is the right blend of sweetness and sourness. it is quite expensive than other tropical fruits here in my country.