Soursop is  native to South America and widely distributed in Tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is tolerant of poor soil and prefers lowland areas between the altitudes of 0 meters (0 ft) to 1,200 meters (3,900 ft.). One of the several Annona, this species has the largest fruit, 1-4 kg in weight, but normally much less. it is grown in mixed orchards or individually in Uganda, commonly in Central Region but nowhere planted as a single orchard crop. In Kampala, Sour sop can be found at Makerere university, Sheraton gardens, Lugogo bypass, Owen road among other places.

A slender evergreen tree 5-7 m in height, usually less, with a bole which may be 30 cm in diameter, the branches very low and wide, giving an open shady crown. In drought conditions it may lose all its leaves.

BARK: grey with a pattern of shallow grooves.

LEAVES: alternate, dark green, shiny and leathery 8-15 cm long, oval with a sharp tip, dull or yellowish below where there are small pits in vein axils. Crushed leaves have a strong, unpleasant smell.

FLOWERS: solitary and large, 2-5 cm across, often opposite leaves and hanging down, 3 outer fleshy petals, curved, almost triangular, 3 inner yellow-green petals, thinner and rounded, edges overlapping.

FRUIT: kidney or heart-shaped to 25 cm long, the leathery dark green skin covered with soft curved spines. Inside woolly white fibrous pulp covers many large brown-black seeds. 

Edible: fruit can be consumed fresh for dessert when fully ripe or mixed with ice cream or milk to make a delicious drink, can be made into fruit jelly, juice (with sugar added), young fruits with seeds that are still soft are used as a vegetable, mature but firm fruits may be made into candy of delicate flavor and aroma.

Provides timber.

Powder of dried leaves and sap from fresh ones are useful in destroying vermin.

A powder or oil from the seeds has been used to kill lice and bedbugs.

All parts of the tree have insecticidal properties and can be used, with fruit as bait, to kill fish.

Medicine: leaves, seed, bark, flowers and fruits. http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Annona_muricata.PDF

An ornamental tree.