Mexico Plants

Annona Muricata

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Plate 286 late 287

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Annona Muricata: Soursop.

Soursop (Annona muricata), another large, spiny, cauliflorous fruit that may weigh up to 6 pounds (3 kg). Unlike the jackfruit, it belongs to the custard apple family (Annonaceae) and is native to tropical America. This interesting plant family also includes the cherimoya (A. cherimola), custard apple (A. reticulata) and sugar apple or pinha (A. squamosa). Soft, ripe soursops are mostly used for ice creams and sherbets.

My favorite fruit so far in Mexico is the Annona. It looks ugly on the tree and is hard as a rock when you pick them green, but the fruit soon ripen to a sweet, white, (almost like gushy marshmallow) pulp center with many ropund, brown seeds. That is possibly why the fruit hasn't hit the popularity market place, because it is so fragile when it starts to ripen.

I know families in San Agustin that relish this fruit, waiting till the fruit turns chocolate brown before eating out of hand. This fruit also works well pureed in a blender (taking care to remove the seeds) and used for ice cream and desert toppings, as well as a popular (fruit water) drink (take one large, ripe fruit, remove the skin by scooping out the inner white pulp, squash the innards so that the seeds can be removed, then puree in a blender and add to one gallon of fresh, drinking water. This makes a wonderful, sweet "hot-weather" drink.