Soursop

Size

Soursop Tree produces large, green, softly spined fruit with creamy white pulp that tastes tangy, sweet, and tropical. Native to the Caribbean and tropical Americas, Annona muricata can reach 25 to 30 feet tall and 20 to 25 feet wide in the ground and has thick, leathery leaves and creamy yellow blooms. The flowers and fruit can form directly on branches and the trunk, becoming a fun conversation piece. The custard-textured, aromatic fruit tastes like a blend of pineapple, mango, and banana and is perfect for smoothies, desserts, and fresh eating.Soursop Tree CarePlant Soursop Tree in spring once nights are reliably warm, or grow it in a container only while young in climates outside Zones 10 to 11. Space in-ground trees 20 to 25 feet apart and plant in full sun to part shade, with protection from cold wind and any frost. Rich sandy or loamy soil with strong drainage and a slightly acidic pH around 5.5 to 6.5 is preferred. Pair it with banana trees or tropical fruit plantings where the root zones have room.Prune lightly to shorten the central leader and remove low rubbing limbs. Tip-pruning encourages lateral branches and easier picking.Growing Soursop TreeSoursop Tree needs warm, humid conditions to flower and fruit well (temperatures should stay above 50F). Flowers are naturally beetle-pollinated, but hand pollination in the evening can boost fruit set. Fruit is ready when the skin shifts from dark green to yellow-green and the surface gives slightly under gentle pressure. Cut fruit from the tree before it becomes too soft, remove the black seeds before eating, and use the pulp fresh, blended, frozen, or made into sorbet and juice. Indoors, soursop is best treated as a young tropical foliage plant because long-term fruiting usually needs outdoor heat, humidity, and a large root system.Growing Soursop Tree in ContainersSoursop Tree can be grown in a container, but fruiting is more likely after planting in the ground in a frost-free climate. Start with a 7 to 10 gallon pot for a young tree, then move up to a 20 gallon or larger container as the trunk thickens and growth speeds up. Repot in warm weather, trimming only broken roots and keeping the tree at the same soil depth. iWatering Soursop TreeWater young Soursop Tree before the root zone dries hard, using a slow soak that reaches below the first few inches of soil. Established trees need steady moisture during flowering and fruit sizing, and dry stress may show as leaf drop, stalled growth, or fruit that fails to fill properly.Feeding Soursop TreeFeed Soursop Tree during warm active growth with a balanced fruit tree fertilizer, applying lighter amounts more often rather than one heavy dose. Compost worked into the mulch zone, kept away from the trunk, helps support leaf growth and fruit development.