Durian and soursop get mixed up so often that soursop's Thai name, ทุเรียนเทศ (thurian thet), literally means foreign durian. Both are green with a spiky-looking skin, so durian vs soursop, or soursop vs durian, comes up a lot. But the spines, the smell, and the taste are all different, and the two are not related.
No, durian and soursop are not the same and they are not related. Soursop has soft, bendy spines and a sweet-and-sour, citrusy taste; durian has hard, sharp thorns and a rich, pungent, custard-like one. Soursop's names just borrow the word durian for its spiky look.
| Attribute | Durian | Soursop |
|---|---|---|
| Plant family | Malvaceae, the mallow family. Its relatives are cacao, okra, and hibiscus. | Annonaceae, the custard apple family. Its relatives are cherimoya and sugar apple. |
| Skin and spikes | Hard, sharp, pyramid-shaped thorns. You cannot comfortably hold one bare-handed. | Soft, curved, bendy spines on thin green skin. Harmless to hold. |
| Size and weight | Usually 1 to 4 kg and oval, about the size of a rugby ball. | Usually 1 to 4 kg and heart or teardrop shaped, sometimes larger. |
| Smell | Strong and hard to miss. Rich, oniony, and sulfurous, banned in some hotels and on some transit. | Mild and pleasant. Sweet and a little like pineapple. |
| Taste | Rich and custard-like. Sweet but also savory, with a garlic-and-caramel depth and no sourness. | Sweet and tangy at once, like strawberry, apple, and pineapple with a citrus edge. |
| Texture | Soft, creamy, and dense, closer to custard or thick pudding. | Soft, juicy, and fibrous, with a banana-like creaminess. |
| Inside the fruit | A few large seeds, each wrapped in a thick lobe of creamy flesh. | Soft white flesh with many hard black seeds scattered through it. The seeds are not eaten. |
| How you eat it | Almost always fresh and ripe, eaten as-is like a dessert. | Eaten fresh, but just as often blended into juice, smoothies, and ice cream. |
No. The names hint at a link, but there is not one. Durian is in the mallow family (Malvaceae), a distant relative of cacao and okra. Soursop is in the custard apple family (Annonaceae), alongside cherimoya and sugar apple.
The confusion is baked into what people call it. Soursop's Thai name, thurian thet, means foreign durian, and its Malay name, durian belanda, means Dutch durian. Both borrow the word durian for the spiky green look, not because the fruits are related. In English it also goes by guanabana and graviola.
So a soursop is closer to a custard apple than it is to a durian, despite the name on the sign.
No, and this is where they part ways most clearly. Soursop is bright and refreshing: sweet and sour at the same time, with citrus, strawberry, and pineapple notes over a soft, creamy texture. It has no funk to it.
Durian is rich and heavy, a sweet, savory custard with a strong oniony-caramel depth and no sourness at all. If soursop is a tangy tropical sorbet, durian is a dense, funky pudding.
Up close they are easy to separate. Durian's thorns are hard, sharp pyramids you cannot grab with a bare hand. Soursop's spines are soft and bendy, more like fleshy hooks, and the skin is thin enough to press with a finger.
Smell settles it from further away. Soursop is faint and sweet, a bit like pineapple. Durian fills a room. If the fruit in front of you has a strong, unmistakable smell, it is a durian.
No, soursop and durian are not the same thing. They are different fruits from different families. Soursop is sweet-and-sour with soft spines; durian is rich and pungent with hard thorns. They only share a spiky green look and a name.
No, durian and soursop are not related. Durian is in the mallow family (Malvaceae). Soursop is in the custard apple family (Annonaceae), alongside cherimoya and sugar apple. The shared name is about looks, not family.
Soursop's Thai name, thurian thet, means foreign durian, and its Malay name, durian belanda, means Dutch durian. Both borrow the word durian for the spiky green look, not because the fruits are related.
Soursop has soft bendy spines, a mild sweet smell, and a tangy sweet-sour taste, often drunk as juice. Durian has hard sharp thorns, a strong smell, and a rich creamy custard taste eaten fresh.
No. Soursop is sweet and sour with citrus and strawberry notes. Durian is rich, creamy, and savory-sweet with no sourness. They are very different to eat.
No. Soursop smells mild and sweet, a little like pineapple. Durian has a powerful, lingering smell that is banned in some hotels and on some transit.
No, and a durian is not a type of soursop either. They are separate fruits from separate families that happen to look alike and share a name.
The mild, creamy, beginner-friendly durian and the most common one you will see for sale.
A classic, stronger-flavored Thai durian if you want the full custard-and-onion experience.
The prized, expensive one, smooth and less pungent, worth trying once you know you like durian.