Soursop (Annona muricata)

La soursop It is a fruit tree of tropical origin that produces fruits of good size and pleasant flavor. But in addition to being planted in a garden, it is also very interesting to have it in the garden, along with other plants that are merely decorative.

And it is that our protagonist is a very beautiful tree, which produces large flowers and, therefore, visible from a certain distance; and not only that: but its glass casts a cool shadow.

How is soursop?

The soursop it is an evergreen fruit tree originally from South America. Its scientific name is annona muricata. It can grow between 3 and 9 meters high, developing a trunk which usually branches at a short distance from the ground. This has numerous lenticels that allow the exchange of atmospheric gases and the tissues that are inside.

Its leaves are green, about 15 centimeters long by about 4 centimeters wide. They remain on the plant for a long time, until they are replaced by new ones. For this reason, it is said to be an evergreen species, since it looks evergreen.

As soon as to the flowers, you have to know that they can appear alone or in groups of two. They are yellow in color, and measure approximately 5-6 centimeters in diameter when open. The female flowers, which are the ones that mature before, and the male ones are distinguished.

The fruit is actually a syncarp -a set of welded fruits- that measures up to 40 centimeters long by 10 centimeters wide. The pulp is white, somewhat fibrous, and sweet.. Its weight can exceed 2kg.

For what do you use it?

Soursop is grown for two reasons:

• The first and most important is for its fruit, which is edible.
• But also, and as we mentioned at the beginning, it is a beautiful tree, which makes a garden very beautiful and also provides shade.

What care does soursop require?

If you dare to grow one, then I am going to explain what conditions the place where you are going to have it must meet and how you have to take care of it:

Where to put it?

Soursop is a tree that it has to be outdoors, and in full sun. But keep in mind that it does not support frost, so it is only recommended to plant it in the garden if the climate is tropical; that is, if the lowest temperature recorded throughout the year is 14ºC.

If the climate is somewhat cooler in your area, it is best to have it in a pot. In this way, you can put it indoors or in a greenhouse when temperatures drop.

What land do you need?

It is a plant that requires rich, well-drained soils. It should not be planted in limestone, especially if they are very compact and heavy, since otherwise the roots could not develop well. Consequently, the tree would grow slower and would have difficulty bearing fruit.

How much water do you need to be healthy?

Whenever we talk about trees that have been in the ground for at least a year, we will not have to water it if in our area there are between 1000 and 3000 mm of annual precipitation throughout the year, with a »pause» of 2 to 3 months.

In other words, we are talking about a plant that does not tolerate much drought. For this reason, it is advisable to water it when we see that the earth is drying out. Especially important will be watering in summer, since the soil dries quickly.

How often must be paid?

We will pay it from the end of winter to the beginning of autumn, but if we live in an area where the climate is tropical, we can do it throughout the year.

For that, you can add fertilizers of natural origin, such as manure, compost, guano (for sale here) or others.

How is it spread?

You can get new copies if you sow the seeds in spring. To do this, you have to follow these steps:

1. To get a soursop seed to germinate, first I advise you to put it in a glass of water. With this simple gesture, you will be able to know if it is viable or if, on the contrary, it is not. In the event that it is, you will see that it sinks quickly.
2. The next step is to take a pot about 8 centimeters in diameter, and fill it with substrate for seedlings such as this, or with a mixture of 60% mulch and 40% perlite.
3. Then it is watered. You have to pour water until it comes out through the drainage holes of the pot.
4. Next, the seed is taken, placed inside a plate or tray, and sprayed with a polyvalent fungicide such as No products found.. This will prevent fungus from damaging it.
5. Finally, it is planted in the pot, burying it no more than two centimeters.

What is its rusticity?

The lowest temperature it supports is 12ºC. Likewise, it is advised not to exceed 35ºC, since the hotter it is, the slower it will grow.

What did you think of the soursop?