The Jan 1 article on soursop (Annona muricata) generated letters from readers. Dr Kittipongse Sumipan, a retired scientist who worked at the National Research Council of Thailand, wrote to say that the fruit is common in his hometown of Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand.
QUICK RETURNS: Soursop is a small tree and begins to bear fruit when it is three years old. PPHOTOS: NORMITA THONGTHAM
"We call it 'durian nam' [water durian]," he wrote, "but the official name is 'durian thet' [pseudo durian]. We eat it as ripe fruit only. However, in the Philippines [where he and his wife studied], I used to drink soursop juice and it tasted good."
Mr Thanavat, who did not give his last name, said soursop used to be plentiful in the South, but in the last few years many trees had been chopped down because the fruit had no market value, and the young generation preferred foreign fruits.
"Since last April, I can't find this fruit in the market, I believe because of the floods. I am trying to get it for one of my friends, who uses this fruit to cure his cancer. He is much better now, but I hope the trees will bear fruit later this year," he wrote.
Soursop remains a favourite for long-time resident Teddy Prasetyo, who was born in Indonesia. "Whenever I go back to Indonesia for a holiday, I always buy the fruit, which one can find in abundance in local markets," he wrote.
NOT-SO-SWEET SOUTHERNER: Soursop is common in Nakhon Si Thammarat and provinces in the south of Thailand.
"It can also be found in processed form similar to 'durian-kuan' or 'mamuang-kuan', but I prefer to have it as soursop juice by processing it in a blender."
He says the fruit is called sirsak and its leaves (daun) are believed to be able to combat cancer.
Mr Prasetyo added that his Cambodian friend told him the fruit could also be found in that country.
From Chiang Mai's Fang district came a letter from Stephen Banister, saying that he and his wife have planted many varieties of fruit trees but are always looking for something different. He wants to know where to obtain soursop seeds or plants.
It is interesting to note that soursop can be found only in southern Thailand. It could have been brought into the country from Malaysia.
The Philippines is also seeing old trees disappear due to a preference among the young for foreign fruits. A cousin who just came for a visit told me the same tale; children these days prefer apples, pears, lychees and grapes, which are imported. To preserve the fruit trees we had known as children, he had planted specimens in his backyard.
Soursop has shallow roots and cannot stand lengthy flooding. However, I hope the reason Mr Thanavat could not find soursop in the local market was that it was not the season for the fruit, and not because the trees have been chopped down or killed by floods.
Unlike its relative, the custard apple (Annona squamosa), which bears many fruits per tree per year, soursop yields only an average of 16. What's more, the fruits on a tree do not mature at the same time so selective picking is required. This means if only one or two fruits are ripe, they may not reach the market and are saved for family consumption instead.
BITTER MEDICINE: Soursop is rich in vitamins B and C, and has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and claimed anti-cancer properties.
Soursop flowers most months of the year but peaks in May and June and the fruit ripens in November or December. It should be harvested when the skin has turned from dark green to shiny green or yellowish green and the spines have become far apart. If the fruit is harvested prematurely, it will soften but the quality is poor. But when the fruit ripens on the tree, bats or birds may eat it or it may fall to the ground. I love it best when it is slightly soft to the touch when harvested.
As a child I often fell sick because of tonsillitis but this stopped after the doctor told me to eat soursop regularly. In school I learned that the fruit was a good source of vitamins B and C, and thus could prevent and cure scurvy. Before the advent of modern medicine, an extract from young shoots and leaves was used as a remedy for gall bladder infection, coughs, catarrh, diarrhoea, dysentery and indigestion, and as compresses for inflammation and swollen feet. Mashed leaves were used as a poultice to alleviate eczema and other skin diseases as well as rheumatism.
Studies have found the fruit and leaves have anti-virus and anti-microbial properties, and that several of the active ingredients can help combat malignant cells of 12 different types of cancer including breast, ovarian, colon, prostate, lung, pancreatic and lymphoma. Extracts from leaves are now available, but although the fruit is good for the health, be careful about continuous consumption of extracts and make sure you consult your doctor first before taking them.
Readers who are aware of the health benefits of soursop and have access to fresh fruit should save the seeds and try to plant them. Wash them in tap water and sow them, preferably without delay, in shallow earthen pots containing fine or sandy soil at a distance of about 2-3cm and 1cm deep. Put the pots in the shade and keep the soil moist at all times. Seeds germinate in 20 to 30 days.
The seedlings may be transplanted in individual containers when the first set of leaves has matured. Use loamy soil mixed with sand and compost. Place under partial shade until the seedlings are well established, after which they may be exposed to the sun.
Water regularly to ensure continuous growth. The seedlings are ready for transplanting when they are six to eight months old or about 30-50cm tall.
Soursop is a small tree and may be planted in a small yard, preferably at the start of the rainy season. It begins to bear fruit three years after planting.
Email nthongtham@gmail.com.
