Jakfruit

Jakfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a fast-growing evergreen tree bearing large, knobbly fruit. It is the world’s largest tree fruit weighing up to 50 kilos.

The tree is originally native to India with it being introduced as a common cultivated crop in southern tropical America, throughout southeast Asia, and parts of Africa.

• Height: 15 to 20 metres
• Watering: keep moist year round
• Sunlight: full sun
• The tree also can be used for timber and has some medicinal uses
• Trees usually start bearing fruit within three to four years

The edible fruit changes skin colour from green to brownish-yellow when ripe and has a pungent odour. The ripe flesh is yellow, sweet and custardy, and tastes like a blend of banana and pineapple.

Unripe jakfruit has a neutral, vegetable-like flavour and is often used as a meat substitute. Seeds are edible after boiling or roasting. The Jakfruit tree is also used for medicines and wood. A white sticky sap can be a nuisance when handling fruit.

CAUTION: these fruits can be very heavy and may drop without warning.