Growing Soursops

I'm in Zone 9B and am experimenting with growing soursops from seed. After about two weeks, my seeds have already sprouted and the seedlings are a good 2-3 inches tall with their first leaves forming. In other words, so far so good.

Has anybody had any experience growing soursops, particularly in a subtropical environment? I have no experience with them and would enjoy hearing any advice. Right now I'm assuming I will need to take them inside for their first winter, as temperatures drop here considerably at night time during the winter even though we rarely dip below below freezing here in the desert.

Thanks in advance!

How exciting! Good luck to you on growing them.

Erick

I just planted some soursop myself about a week ago. I've never grown them before but love the taste so I figured I would give it a shot. I hope yours do well.

Jason

I've grown them from seed, but they are very cold sensitive, especially when young. I wouldn't expose them to anything less than 40F.

My DW has fond memories of these from the years she spent in the Domican Republic (where they are known as guanabana, pronounced gwa-NAW-baw-naw). I've had no luck keeping them because of their cold sensitivity, but plan to try again next year with something more mature, in the greenhouse.

Hi kimchifan

I have had a Soursop in the ground for about 2 years. I planted a Sugar Apple (sweetsop) at the same time and the Sugar Apple is in bloom now. The Soursop has not bloomed yet but is growing nicely.

I second the cold sensitivity of the Soursop. The problem where we live (50 miles south of Tampa on the coast) is that the Soursop will no go dormant. Every cold spell it looses it leaves and it flushes out again in a couple days. It repeated this 3 or 4 times this year. I have spoken to several fellow member of the Rare Fruit Council about this and have been told it usually burns itself out from the shedding and flushing but I live by the “Nothing ventured nothing gained motto” with my plants. Time will tell.

Good luck with your Soursops…

DW

Thanks everyone for your advice. I will be sure to take them seedlings inside over the winter, for their first year anyway. Luckily I have a sunny den where I think they'll be comfortable.

An interesting note regarding temperatures here in the California desert as they relate to tropicals. While researching soursops today, I discovered they are related to Ylang Ylang vine (Artabotrys hexapetalus, related to the Anona family). Coincidentally, I planted a Ylang Ylang last year and it survived the winter, planted in the ground against a warm brick wall. Perhaps this bodes well for my soursops? I read today that "soursops are impossible to grow anywhere in the US except South Florida," but being the cantankerous person I am this makes me want to try even more. :-)

Just a few days later, one of the soursop seedlings has its first formed leaf. So cool. (See latest photo.)

DW: I also happened to plant sweetsop seeds at the same time but no luck yet. Crossing my fingers though. By the way, sounds like we share the same growing attitude... good job!

Unfortunately, just because two plants are in the same family (or even the same genus) doesn't necessarily mean that they'll both survive under the same conditions. Pawpaw (Asimina genus) is also in Annonaceae and has some species that are OK all the way down to zone 6 or 7, but people there would have no chance at all with any of the Annona species. According to PF, Artabotrys is a half zone hardier than your soursops, so there's a chance your brick wall would still help it survive but definitely not a guarantee, I think if you really want to keep it you'll have to be prepared to protect it in some way during the winter if you have a couple really cold nights. Out of all the Annona species, I think Cherimoya (A. cherimola) is the one that would have the best chance in your zone without protection.

are you talking about the custard apple....annona reticulata...if you are i have several seedlings i could trade...2 to 3 ft tall.etc..

A week or so later, my soursops are really thriving! Here's an updated picture.

And the soursops have some friends now... sweetsops! They started sprouting just after I wrote my first entry on the soursops -- they seem to be already outpacing the soursops. Amazing growth rate.