SOURSOP TREE (MULLEN CHAKKA)

INTRODUCTION TO LESSER KNOWN

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT SPECIES OF KERALA

                                  VOL.7

Soursop tree

Common Name:-

                       

Soursop

Graviola,

Brazilian paw paw.

Malayalam:

Mullenchakka,

Mullatha.

Kannada:

Mulluramphal.

Telugu:

Lakshmanaphalamu.

Tamil:

Pulippalla,

Mulluchitta.

Botanic Name:

Anona muricata Linn.

Family:

Anonaceae.

             Soursop tree comes under the family of Custard apple and its fruits  are slightly acidic taste hence it is called as soursop.

 It is native to West Indies and now widely cultivated throughout the world.It is a miraculous evergreen tree found in most of the rainforest areas. This is a small tree  grow up to 5-6 meters high with simple leaves having glossy dark green colour.

Leaves of the Sousop tree

In third or fourth year flowers arises in tips of the branches later it arises in main stems and main branches. Flowers of the sour sop trees are with thick petals, greenish yellow in colour and heart shaped.

Flower of the Soursop tree.

Fruits 20-25cm length, with abundant prickles or bristles, containing numerous long brown colored seeds embedded in the whitish pulp and has a weight of up to 2 Kg.   

  Roots,bark and tender fruits  of Sour-sop tree is slightly Toxic .                                 Its seed is used as a fish poison and  as a pesticide.  

              

Nutritive Value:-

      

                     The fruit of Soursop tree contains carbohydrates in    high quantity particularly fructose.

The fruit also contains significant amounts of vitamins such as Vitamin-C, Vitamin-B1 and Vitamin-B2. 

Flower bud

Planting method:-

       Soursop trees are cultivated by planting mature seeds. 

Flower

     

Food Value:-

        After removing outer skin and seeds green fruits are used as vegetable similar to jack fruits for making curries. It is cooked with spices such as coriander powder, black pepper and “Garam Masala powder ”  for making delicious curries.

        The flesh of the Soursop fruit consists of an edible, white pulp and fruits are eaten when they are fully ripe.  

Medicinal Value:-

The fruit, Leaves and seeds are used as herbal medicine.

Foot note:-

    It is believed that chemicals found in the Sour sop  selectively target the cancer cells, leaving healthy cells untouched.  



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