Description

General aspect and origins - Annona muricata, from the Annonaceae family, is also known as soursop, graviola or prickly custard apple. This tree is native to Northern South America and is now cultivated in many tropical parts of the world. It can be 12 to 24 ft (4-8 m) tall, and produces large edible and spiny fruits.
Leaves - This tree has an evergreen foliage. Leaves are entire, glossy and dark-green, with a paler underside.
Flowers - Flowers are large, and have 3 thick and triangular petals, which are yellow-green. They appear on the branches or directly on the trunk.
Fruits - The soursop is a large edible fruit, which can be up to 8-10 in (20-25 cm) long. It has a green skin which is covered whith soft and short spines. Its white-cream flesh is juicy, strongly aromatic and generally contains dozens of dark seeds.

This fruit can be eaten raw, can be transformed into juices and sherbets, or can be canned.

Culture

The prickly custard apple is a tropical tree, but mature trees may withstand a few degrees of frost. However, even large trees will be heavily damaged below about 26-28°F (-2°C/-3°C). This tree requires warm and humid growing seasons, and thrives in true tropical areas.
Soil - This tree prefers a well-drained soil that remains moist. It likes to be regularly watered for a good fruit production.

Propagation

The soursop can be propagated by seeds, but best varieties are propagated by cuttings or grafted. When fresh, seeds will take a few weeks to sprout.