| Description |
Soursop is a short, bushy, flowering, evergreen tree in the Annonaceae (Custard Apple) family. It is native to the tropical regions of the Americas and has broad, glossy, dark green leaves and branches that are hairy when young. Fruit are fragrant, ovoid, dark green, and prickly. They can be up to 30 cm long and have white, juicy, acidic flesh and toxic black seeds. The creamy flesh tastes like a mix of lettuce and tomatoes with hints of sour citrus. Harvest when fruit are still firm but slightly yellow-green and allow to ripen until they are soft to the touch. Ripe fruit are eaten raw, mixed with ice cream or milk, and added to smoothies, drinks, and desserts. Soursop needs high humidity and warm winters: leaves and small branches are damaged by temperatures below 5° C and temperatures below 3°C can kill the tree. Soursop are fast-growing and begin to bear fruit between their third and fifth year. Soursop has many medicinal uses. If starting from seed, use seeds within a month of harvesting them and soak and scarify to improve germination.
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