August 1998 Table
of Contents -
Current Issue of The Abaco Journal
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Abaco Bahamas' Home Page
ISLAND PLANTS
SOURSOP
It doesn't sound too appetising, does it? But get past the name and you have one of
the most delicious and distinctly different tropical fruits.
Soursop (Annona muricata) is a fruit that generally grows from 6 - 10 inches long
on Abaco and somewhat resembles a fat, prickly 3-D comma. Those prickles are soft
and fleshy, by the way. Inside the green skin of the soursop lies tasty white pulp
and some 1 inch long brown or black seeds, which are easy to remove. The pulp, usually eaten
raw, has a unique flavour with an acid bite.
A favourite way to enjoy the flavour of soursop is to make soursop ice cream. If there
were a Baskin & Robbins on Abaco, soursop would definitely be the number one flavour.
Soursop can also be juiced to make a refreshing drink.
Soursop trees can grow to 20 feet but are best kept at about 10 feet. When a ripe
soursop hits the ground it makes a dreadful mess. Fruits are produced for most of
the year but there is usually a rest period during the winter. When this happens,
the branches of the tree should be pruned at three-quarter length. Fruit is only produced on
new growth and pruning will encourage plenty of new growth.
The dark green soursop leaves are used by local people to make a tea which acts as
a soporific. Sweet dreams!
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