Soursop (Guanabana)
Soursop (Guanabana)
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Other names: Guanabana, Graviola, Guyabano, Brazilian Pawpaw
Origin: South America
Tree Height: 25-30 ft.
Season: June to September
Cold Hardiness: 38° - 40°F
Fruit Description: More or less oval or heart-shaped, some times irregular, lopsided or curved. Size ranges from 4-12 in. long and up to 6 in. in width. Weight may be 10-15 lbs. Fruit is compound and covered with a reticulated, leathery-appearing but tender, inedible, bitter skin from which protrude few or many stubby, or more elongated and curved, soft, pliable "spines". Tips break off easily when fruit is fully ripe. Skin is dark-green in immature fruit, becoming slightly yellowish-green before mature fruit is soft. Inner surface is cream-colored, granular and separates easily from the mass of snow-white, fibrous, juicy segments.
More Info: With an aroma similar to pineapple, the flavor of the fruit has been described as a combination of strawberries and apple with sour citrus flavor notes, contrasting with an underlying thick creamy texture reminiscent of banana. Because of its sweet flavor and creamy texture, soursop is most often used in sweet recipes rather than savory. These include beverages, smoothies, and even ice cream. Because of its stringy texture, soursop is going to be difficult to cut up into cubes, hence if you want to eat it raw, it's best to simply cut your soursop in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
Soursop (also graviola, guyabano, and in Latin America, guanábana) is the fruit of Annona muricata, a broadleaf, flowering, evergreen tree.[4][5] The exact origin is unknown; it is native to the tropical regions of the Americas and the Caribbean and is widely propagated.[6] It is in the same genus, Annona, as cherimoya and is in the Annonaceae family.
The soursop is adapted to areas of high humidity and relatively warm winters; temperatures below 5 °C (41 °F) will cause damage to leaves and small branches, and temperatures below 3 °C (37 °F) can be fatal. The fruit becomes dry and is no longer good for concentrate.
With aroma similar to pineapple,[5] the flavor of the fruit has been described as a combination of strawberries and apple, and sour citrus flavor notes, contrasting with an underlying creamy texture reminiscent of coconut or banana.
Soursop is widely promoted (sometimes as "graviola") as an alternative cancer treatment, but there is no medical evidence it is effective for treating cancer or any disease.[7]