SOURSOP, DURIAN BLANDA

It is a small slender evergreen tree growing to a height of about 7 meters. It thrives best in the tropical lowlands with rich deep loam. Of the three Annonas, this is the easiest to grow (without much cultural requirement), and has prolific fruiting capacities. The soursop fruit is the largest among the Annonas, weighing around 1 kg or more. It is long, heart shaped, dark green in colour with short fleshy spines. The flesh or pulp is white, soft, juicy and fragrant. In between the pulp are embedded brown to blackish seeds. The fruit can be eaten as a dessert fruit. As it is rather fibrous, it is often made into a drink i.e. extract of juice from pulp. Soursop is a common local fruit with a good potential for the canning industry as a good flavour nutritious drink. It is quite easily grown from seed, marcotting and budding. Its quality can be improved by breeding and selection or by improved cultural methods, making it a profitable crop of commercial importance as well as a backyard plant in the home garde