Also called graviola, soursop is a large, spiny, green tropical fruit with a sweet flesh that is the basis for several beverages, ice creams and other sweet foods popular in South America. Beyond its usefulness as a food, however, soursop also contains natural compounds with medicinal properties, making it potentially beneficial for your health. Soursop is known by a plethora of different names depending on its country of cultivation. The name, soursop is derived from the Dutch zuurzak which means “sour sack.” In most tropical regions of the world, where the plant grows, it is often referred as a miracle tree. The seeds and bark are toxic and contain poisonous alkaloids such as anonaine, muricine, and hydrocyanic acid.
| Name | Soursop |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Annona muricata |
| Native | Antilles in the Caribbean, Central America and in northern South America. |
| Common/English Name | Brazilian Pawpaw, Guanabana, Prickly Custard Apple, Soursop, Corossol, Sugar Apple. |
| Name in Other Languages | Marquesan: Koroso Angola: Sap-Sap (Portuguese) Madagascar: Corossol Tuamotuan: Korosor Antilles: Cachiman Épineux Senegal: Corossolier (Diola) Bolivia: Sinini Reunion: Coprossol Brunei: Durian Salat French: Anone Chamorro: Laguaná Portuguese: Graviola Cook Islands: Kātara‘Apa Eastonian: Oga-Annoona Papiamento: Sòrsaka Fijian: Sarifa German: Sauersack, Philippines: Ilabanos Cameroon: Saba-Saba (Eséka) Thai: Rian-Nam Guinea Conakry: Doukoume Porto (Foula Du Fouta-Djallon) Mokilese: Truka Shai Tahitian: Tapotapo Papa‘A Hungarian: Savanyúalma Banaban: Te Tiotabu Japanese: Toge Banreishi Yapese: Sausau Comoros: Konokono (Anjouan Island) Khmer: Tiep Banla Dutch: Zuurzak Russian: Annona Murikata Laotian: Khan Thalot Brazzaville: Corossolier Malaysia: Datu Alo (Kelabit) Vietnamese: Mang Cân Xiem Rodrigues Island: Coronsol Marshallese: Jojaa Spanish: Anona Chuukese: Saasaf Mauritius: Corossol Brazil: Araticum-Grande Togo: Anyigli Mexico: Catuche Samoan: Sanalapa Benin: Gniglou Niuean: Talapo Fotofoto Kosraean: Sosap Danish: Pigget Annona Tongan: ‘Apele ‘Initia Palauan: Sausab Indonesia: Nangka Seberang Papua New Guinea: Saua Sap Guatemala: Guanaba Democratic Republic Of Congo: Mustafeli (Shi) Rotuman: Ai’ Pen Mamami Dominican Republic: Guanábana Puerto Rico: Guanábana Seychelles: Corosso (French) India: Mullu Raamana Phala Sierra Leone: Soursap (Krio) Cuba: Guanábana Venezuela: Catuche Pohnpeian: Sae |
| Plant Growth Habit | Small, much branched, perennial tree |
| Growing Climate | Humid tropical and subtropical lowlands with moderate humidity, plenty of sun and shelter from strong winds. |
| Soil | Thrives best in deep, rich, well-drained, semi-dry soil, but the soursop tree can be and is commonly grown in acid and sandy soil, and in the porous, oolitic limestone of South Florida and the Bahama Islands. |
| Plant Size | 3–8 m tall |
| Root | Shallow root system |
| Branchlets | Terete, reddish-brown glabrous branchlets |
| Leaf | Malodorous leaves, normally evergreen, are alternate, smooth, glossy, dark green on the upper surface, lighter beneath; oblong, elliptic or narrow obovate, pointed at both ends, 2 1/2 to 8 in (6.25-20 cm) long and 1 to 2 1/2 in (2.5-6.25 cm) wide and have pungent odor when crushed. |
| Flower | Borne singly, may emerge anywhere on the trunk, branches or twigs. They are short stalked, 1 1/2 to 2 in (4 5 cm) long, plump, and triangular-conical, the 3 fleshy, slightly spreading, outer petals yellow-green, the 3 close-set inner petals pale-yellow. |
| Fruit Shape & Size | Oval or heart-shaped, sometimes irregular, lopsided or curved. Size ranges from 4 to 12 in (10-30 cm) long and up to 6 in (15 cm) in width, beset with soft spines with a thin, coriaceous rind |
| Fruit Color | Dark-green while young and turns to slightly yellowish-green as mature |
| Fruit Skin | Tender, inedible, bitter skin |
| Flesh Color | Tender, inedible, bitter skin |
| Fruit Weight | 10 or 15 lbs (4.5-6.8 kg). |
| Flavor/Aroma | Musky, sub acid to acid |
| Taste | Sweet, acidic taste that resembles a mix of strawberry and pineapple. |
| Seed | Numerous, flattened, oval, smooth, hard, black seed, l/2 to 3/4 in (1.25-2 cm) long, glabrous and glossy |
| Major Nutrition | Manganese, Mn 1.4 mg (60.87%) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 46.4 mg (51.56%) Carbohydrate 37.89 g (29.15%) Copper, Cun 0.193 mg (21.44%) Total dietary Fiber 7.4 g (19.47%) Iron, Fe 1.35 mg (16.88%) Potassium, K 626 mg (13.32%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) 0.158 mg (13.17%) Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2.025 mg (12.66%) Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) 0.569 mg (11.38%) Magnesium, Mg 47 mg (11.19%) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.133 mg (10.23%) |
| Health Benefits |
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| Calories in 1 cup (225 gm) | 148 K cal |