Artocarpus heterophyllus
| Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific name | Artocarpus heterophyllus |
| Common names | Jackfruit, jack tree, jak, jaca, jaqueira |
| Genus | Artocarpus |
| Family | Moraceae |
| Order | Rosales |
| Native range | Southwestern India; widely cultivated in tropical regions |
| Growth form | Large evergreen, monoecious tree |
| Mature size | About 9 to 12 m in the UF/IFAS Florida landscape example; larger when unpruned in favorable climates |
| Climate and site | Hot, humid tropics; warm subtropics with little or no frost |
| Soil and water | Well-drained sand, sandy loam, or calcareous soil; not continuously wet |
| Sun and humidity | Full sun; warm humid air with good drainage and airflow |
| Propagation | Fresh seed, grafting, budding, air-layering, or experimental cuttings |
| Germination | N/A |
| Years to fruit | About 3 to 4 years reported for seed-grown trees; variable by cultivar and conditions |
| Pollination | Male and female flowers on one tree; wind and insects; cross-pollination may improve set and quality |
| Fruit | Large multiple fruit with edible arils around the seeds |
| Harvest | Commonly summer and fall in the UF/IFAS Florida example; about 150 to 180 days from flowering to maturity |
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) is a large evergreen, monoecious tree in the mulberry family, Moraceae. Plants of the World Online gives its native range as southwestern India; it is now widely cultivated through tropical Asia and other warm regions. The trunk and large branches bear the flowers and the heavy multiple fruits directly on short flowering shoots.[1][2]
Description[edit | edit source]
Jackfruit is an erect, evergreen tree with a dense crown. In the Florida landscape guidance it reaches about 9 to 12 m, although trees can become larger where they are not pruned. Mature leaves are dark green, glossy, leathery, and oval; young shoots may carry deeply lobed leaves. All parts of the leaf contain sticky white latex.[2]
The species is monoecious. Short, stout male and female flowering shoots emerge from the trunk and larger branches. Male inflorescences are smaller and carried on thinner stalks, while female inflorescences have thicker stalks and develop into the fruiting structures.[2]
The fruit is a multiple fruit formed from many flowers. It may weigh about 4.5 to 27.3 kg (10 to 60 lb), although small-fruited cultivars may produce fruits of about 1.4 to 4.5 kg (3 to 10 lb). The thick, rough skin is green when immature and may become greenish-yellow to brownish-yellow as the fruit ripens. Inside are edible sweet arils, an inedible fibrous rag, and about 30 to 500 seeds depending on fruit size and type.[2]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Jackfruit is a warm, humid lowland tree. It grows best where temperatures remain high for most of the year and where the root zone drains after rain. In the UF/IFAS regional guidance, trees tolerate moderate drought but decline in continuously wet or flooded soil; two to three days of saturated conditions can be damaging. Frost is a serious limit: leaves may be injured at 0 °C, branches at about -1 °C, and the tree may be killed near -2 °C.[2]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
In cultivation, jackfruit grows well in well-drained sand and sandy loam and can tolerate the shallow, high-pH calcareous soils of southern Florida. The important limitation is persistent saturation rather than a narrow soil texture. Choose a warm site that does not remain wet after ordinary rainfall. Where the water table is high or seasonal flooding occurs, a raised mound improves drainage and establishment.[2]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Use full sun for the best growth and fruit production. The species is adapted to humid tropical conditions, but high humidity should be accompanied by airflow and a root zone that drains freely. Young trees need regular watering while they establish; mature trees need irrigation during prolonged dry periods and especially from bloom through fruit development.[2]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
The natural crop calendar is warm-season and rainfall dependent. In the UF/IFAS Florida example, the main fruiting season is summer and fall, while fruit may be scarce in winter and early spring. Planting at the start of the rainy season is useful where irrigation is limited. Reduce winter irrigation when cool conditions slow growth, but maintain moisture from flowering through fruit development during the productive season.[2]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Fresh seed is a practical method, but jackfruit seed is short-lived and may be stored for only about 30 days. UF/IFAS reports that seed-grown trees may begin producing in the third or fourth year, although fruit quality and maturity are variable among seedlings. Select seed from a productive tree with good fruit quality rather than treating an unknown seedling as a named cultivar.[2]
Grafted trees of known cultivars are preferred when fruit quality, tree size, or harvest season must be predictable. Side-veneer grafting is the principal grafting method described by UF/IFAS, with chip budding, cleft grafting, and approach grafting also reported. Air-layering is possible but not commonly used. Semi-hardwood cuttings with three leaves, treated with 5,000 to 10,000 ppm IBA and placed under intermittent mist, rooted in about 60 to 70 days in the cited treatment; field performance of cutting-grown trees was not established by that source.[2]
Jackfruit is sensitive to root restriction. Use a deep container, about 45 to 61 cm (18 to 24 in) long for larger nursery plants, and plant out before the root system becomes tightly bound. Large, healthy nursery trees about 0.6 to 1.2 m tall may establish more rapidly than small plants when their roots have not been restricted.[2]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
Jackfruit flowers are wind and insect pollinated. Male and female flowers occur on the same tree, but UF/IFAS reports that fruit set and fruit quality are generally improved by cross-pollination among cultivars or seedlings. Planting more than one compatible tree can therefore be useful even though a single tree bears both flower types.[2]
The interval from flowering to mature fruit is about 150 to 180 days. Immature fruit is commonly harvested at one to three months old for cooking. Mature fruit develops a stronger aroma, the skin spines flatten and widen, and the sound changes from solid to more hollow when tapped. Harvest with clippers or loppers and handle the cut stem carefully because it releases copious sticky latex that stains clothing.[2]
In the UF/IFAS Florida example, picked mature fruit ripens in about 3 to 10 days at 24 to 27 °C (75 to 80 °F). Cool temperatures below about 16 °C can delay ripening. The regional bearing season is mainly summer and fall, but local wet and dry seasons, cultivar, and temperature determine the actual calendar.[2]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
Immature jackfruit is used as a cooked vegetable in soups, baked dishes, and fried preparations. Ripe arils are eaten fresh, dried, or preserved in syrup and may be used in desserts and salads. The seeds can be boiled or roasted. UF/IFAS reports approximately 35% to 40% edible flesh in mature fruit, with considerable variation among cultivars.[2]
The latex makes preparation messy. Oil on the hands, knife blade, and work surface can make cleanup easier, but the knife handle should be kept free of oil. Fully ripe arils are highly perishable; refrigerated pulp and frozen ripe segments are practical short-term storage options.[2]
Pests and diseases[edit | edit source]
Reported problems include scale insects, mealybugs, wood-boring insects in wounded wood, and fruit or flower rots. Root rots become more likely when the tree is exposed to flooding or persistently wet soil. Open spacing, sound drainage, protection from trunk injury, and pruning after harvest are useful preventive measures; current control recommendations should come from the local extension service.[2]
Cultivars and selections[edit | edit source]
UF/IFAS documents cultivar variation in tree habit, fruit size, pulp texture, flavor, harvest season, and yield. Examples evaluated in its Florida guidance include 'Black Gold', 'Cheena', 'Gold Nugget', 'Honey Gold', 'Kun Wi Chan', 'NS1', and 'Tabouey'. These cultivar results came from a regional evaluation and should not be treated as universal performance data. Small-fruited, easily pruned selections can be more practical than vigorous trees for a home landscape.[2]
Container growing[edit | edit source]
Jackfruit is difficult to keep permanently containerized because root restriction reduces establishment and vigor. A large, deep container can be useful for a young tree or for winter protection in a marginal climate, but a productive tree ultimately needs substantial root volume. Plant out before the root ball becomes pot-bound, or use a grafted, pruned selection chosen for manageable size.[2]
Photos[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [1] Artocarpus heterophyllus, Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, accessed 2026-08-24.
- ↑ [2] Crane, Balerdi & Maguire, Jackfruit Growing in the Florida Home Landscape, UF/IFAS Extension, publication HS882/MG370, accessed 2026-08-24.
Image credits[edit | edit source]
- Jackfruit tree with fruit.jpg — Suyash Dwivedi; CC BY-SA 4.0. The file shows several jackfruits borne against a trunk.
- Artocarpus heterophyllus 01 - Fruit.jpg — Daniel Di Palma; CC BY-SA 4.0. The file shows jackfruits developing on the trunk and branches.
- Artocarpus heterophyllus Seeds.jpg — Dinkun Chen; CC BY-SA 4.0. The file description identifies jackfruit seed; the visible subject is a seed close-up.
- Jackfruit Flesh.jpg — Mullookkaaran; CC BY-SA 3.0. The visible subject is ripe orange jackfruit arils.
- Artocarpus heterophyllus 02 - Tree Trunk.jpg — Daniel Di Palma; CC BY-SA 4.0. The file shows a close view of the tree trunk bark.
