Plant family: Annonaceae
Plant origin: Americas and West Indies.
Fruit description: The Soursop is a large, elongated or heart shaped fruit. It is hard and dark green when unripe, turns soft and a pale green when ripe, and the skin has very soft spines. Each fruit weighs from a half to 1 kg. There are several inedible seeds within the flesh, which are 1cm long. The flesh is soft, juicy, white, fragrant, delicious, sweet with a distinctive lemon sherbet flavour. It is very creamy, like custard.
Flowers: Soursop flowers occur on the main trunks and branches of the tree in Spring and Summer, they have large green petals which open to reveal a fragrant yellow flower.
Growing conditions: The Soursop tree is open, small, semi-deciduous, and fast growing to 6 metres high, with attractive glossy leaves. The leaves are shed in late winter before flowering. The young plant should be staked and protected from wind. The Soursop prefers well drained soil in hot sun, it is moderately frost-tolerant. Pruning will help produce better fruit and make it easier to harvest. The tree must be strong to support the heavy and prolific crop and to protect the fruit and flowers.
Uses: Soursop fruit is delicious eaten fresh when slightly soft. Ripe fruit can be refrigerated, and eaten when chilled. You can remove the seeds from ripe fruit, then puree the flesh, to eat it fresh or with cream and ice-cream, or blend it to make Soursop juice is creamy and rich. Unripe Soursop fruit can be cooked as a vegetable.
Medicinal uses: Soursop leaves are used in Asian herbal remedies, and have many uses, including aiding sleep. Soursop leaves are powdered and sold commercially, sometimes called Graviola, for the treatment of cancer. Fresh Soursop leaves are sought after to make herb teas.
Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.
Harvest time Soursop trees fruit when the tree is 2 or more years old, they ripen in Summer and Autumn. They can ripen after picking, at room temperature.
Plant relatives Soursop is related to other Annona species including Atemoya (Custard Apple), Cherimoya. Also to Brazil Custard Apple or Rollinia, and Ylang Ylang.
Special features:
Grown by method: Seed Grown Pot size: 140mm
Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 2.5 metres high by 2 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 6 metres high by 3 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.
Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 140mm
