How to Grow Soursop in Australia

Updated September 2026

A tender tropical tree with large, creamy, tangy fruit

Soursop, Annona muricata, is a small, tender tropical tree of 4 to 8 m in the custard apple family. Its large, green, soft spined fruit holds white, creamy flesh with a tangy flavour somewhere between pineapple and strawberry, prized for juice, smoothies and ice cream.

It is the most tender of the annonas: it needs warmth, humidity and shelter from wind, and it often needs a hand with pollination. This guide covers where it grows, planting, care, hand pollination, pests, and when to pick.

When to Plant in Your Region

Soursop is a tender tropical tree, planted in warm, wet weather. Plant from October to December in South East Queensland and Northern Rivers NSW. Plant from November to March in North Queensland and Darwin & Top End. It is not suited to Sydney & Coastal NSW, Melbourne & Victoria, Adelaide & SA, Perth & WA, Tasmania and Canberra & ACT. Choose your region below for the local calendar and any regional note.

Your region

Climate and Where It Grows in Australia

Soursop needs tropical warmth and humidity all year, and frost kills it.

North Queensland and the Top End suit it best, planted from November to March in the wet. The humid Wet Tropics around Cairns are ideal; in Darwin, give it wind shelter and regular water through the dry. South East Queensland can grow it in warm, sheltered spots, planted from October to December. In the Northern Rivers, grow it in coastal gardens only, in a frost free spot, since hinterland frosts will kill it. Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Tasmania and Canberra are not suited.

South East Queensland: plant from October to December.
Northern Rivers NSW: plant from October to December. Coastal gardens only. A tender tropical that hinterland and Lismore basin frosts will kill, so plant in a warm, sheltered, frost free spot.
Sydney & Coastal NSW: not suited. Not viable in Sydney. Needs true tropical warmth and humidity.
Melbourne & Victoria: not suited. Not viable in Melbourne. True tropical only.
Adelaide & SA: not suited. Not viable in Adelaide. True tropical only.
Perth & WA: not suited. Not viable in Perth. True tropical only.
Tasmania: not suited. Unsuitable. True tropical only. Not viable in Tasmania.
Canberra & ACT: not suited. Not viable. True tropical only.
North Queensland: plant from November to March. Plant Nov to Mar in the wet. The humid Wet Tropics around Cairns suit soursop best; shelter it from strong wind.
Darwin & Top End: plant from November to March. Plant Nov to Mar in the wet. Needs shelter from wind and regular water through the dry season.

Choosing a Variety

Seedling trees

Most soursop trees sold are grown from seed. They usually fruit in about three years, and fruit quality is generally reasonable.

Grafted trees

Less common, but they give more predictable fruit and can bear sooner. Worth buying if a local tropical nursery offers them.

Buying tip

Choose a sturdy, well rooted plant from a nursery in a warm district, already hardened to outdoor conditions.

Planting

Choose a warm, sheltered, frost free position in full sun. Soursop has shallow roots and brittle branches, so wind shelter is essential.

Soil. Rich, deep, free-draining soil with a pH of about 6 to 6.5. It will not survive waterlogging.
Space. Allow about 4 m between trees.
Planting. Plant at the depth it sat in the pot, water in well and mulch thickly to keep the shallow roots cool and moist, keeping mulch off the trunk.

Care

Watering

Keep the soil moist, especially during flowering and fruit development. Dry stress causes flowers and young fruit to drop. In the tropics, water regularly through the dry season.

Feeding

Feed little and often through the warm months with a balanced fertiliser or compost, and keep mulch topped up.

Pruning

Keep the tree low and open so fruit is easy to reach and support. Remove dead wood and crossing branches after harvest.

Pollination

Soursop flowers are pollinated by small beetles rather than bees, and natural pollination is often poor. That leads to few fruit, or fruit that is lopsided because only part of it was pollinated. Hand pollination fixes both.

Each flower is female first and male later. In the late afternoon, collect pollen from flowers whose petals have opened wide and whose pollen sacs are shedding, using a small brush and a jar.
Early the next morning, brush the pollen onto the centre of flowers that are only partly open, which are in their female stage.

Pests and Diseases

Mealybug. White, cottony clusters on fruit and stems, often tended by ants. Wipe off small colonies, use horticultural oil, and keep ants off the tree.
Fruit fly. Attacks ripening fruit. Use traps and bag developing fruit if needed. See our Fruit Fly guide.
Fruit spotting bugs. Sap sucking bugs that cause dark, sunken spots and young fruit drop on annonas in Queensland. Check fruit regularly.

Anthracnose is the main disease: dark spots on leaves, flowers and fruit in wet weather, and fruit that rots. Remove affected fruit and improve airflow. Root rot follows poor drainage.

Harvest and Storage

Soursop is picked mature but still firm and ripened off the tree. Fruit left to soften on the tree usually falls and splits.

Signs it is ready. The dark, glossy green skin turns a duller, lighter yellow green, the soft spines spread apart, and the fruit gives slightly when pressed.
Ripening. Leave on the bench for a few days until soft all over.
Handling. Ripe soursop bruises easily. Handle it gently and eat or process it within a couple of days, storing it in the fridge.

Scoop out the flesh and remove the black seeds, which should not be eaten, before blending into juice, smoothies or ice cream.

Track Your Soursop Tree

Add soursop to your garden in the Planting Season app and get reminders for planting, care and harvest, tuned to your region.

Open the App →

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant soursop in Australia?

It depends on your region. Plant from October to December in South East Queensland and Northern Rivers NSW. Plant from November to March in North Queensland and Darwin & Top End. It is not suited to Sydney & Coastal NSW, Melbourne & Victoria, Adelaide & SA, Perth & WA, Tasmania and Canberra & ACT. Choose your region in the calendar on this page for the local window.

How do I know when a soursop is ready to pick?

Pick when the skin turns from dark glossy green to a duller, lighter yellow green, the spines spread apart and the fruit gives slightly when pressed. Ripen it on the bench for a few days until soft.

Why is my soursop fruit misshapen?

Lopsided fruit is almost always poor pollination, where only part of the fruit developed. Soursop is pollinated by beetles and natural pollination is often patchy. Hand pollinating with a small brush gives well shaped fruit.

Can I grow soursop in Brisbane?

Yes, in a warm, sheltered, frost free position. The site lists South East Queensland as suited, with planting from October to December. It grows best in the humid tropics, so expect slower growth than in the north.