Guanabana/Soursop
Annona muricata

Soursop or Guanabana is a broadleaf flowering evergreen tree native to the Caribbean, Central and South America, from Brazil north to the West Indies. It is in the same genus as the cherimoya and the same family as the pawpaw.

The Soursop is adapted to areas of high humidity and relatively warm winters, temperatures below 5 °C will cause damage to leaves and small branches, and temperatures below 3 °C can be fatal.

Comparisons of its flavor range from strawberry and pineapple mixed together to sour citrus flavour notes contrasting with an underlying creamy roundness of flavour reminiscent of coconut or banana. The fruit is somewhat difficult to eat, as the white interior pulp is studded with many large seeds, and pockets of soft flesh are bounded by fibrous membranes. The soursop is therefore usually juiced rather than eaten directly.

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The plant is grown as a commercial crop for its 20-30 cm long prickly green fruit, which can have a mass of up to 2.5 kg.

Away from its native area, there is some limited production as far north as southern Florida within USDA zone 10; however these are mostly garden plantings for local consumption. It is also grown in parts of southeastern Asia. The Soursop will reportedly fruit as a container specimen, even in temperate climates if protected from cool temperatures.

The flesh of the fruit consists of an edible white pulp and a core of undigestible black seeds. The species is the only member of genus Annona which is suitable for processing and preservation. The sweet pulp is used to make juice as well as candies, sorbets and ice cream flavorings.

Nutritionally, the fruit is high in carbohydrates, particularly fructose. The fruit also contains significant amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2. The fruit, seeds, and leaves have a number of herbal medicinal uses among indigenous peoples of regions where the plant is common.

In the Caribbean it is believed that laying the leaves of the soursop on a bed below a sleeping person with a fever will break the fever by the next morning. Also, boiling the leaves and drinking as a tea helps induce sleep

The Soursop plant favours the red, mineral-rich soil called "Red Bottom", which accounts for a large percentage of Anguilla's arable land. The Soursop usually assumes a heart-like shape, but is known to also grow round or irregular.

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The fruit is green in colour with a tough skin with brittle thorn-like projections. A milk-coloured juice is extracted from the pulp and made into drink. Adding water and other desired spices, the Soursop also makes a delicious frozen dessert localled called "Special". The fruit can also be eaten unprocessed.

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