General Description | Artocarpus altilis (breadfruit) is a food tree of the tropics. Its fruit is a staple and is a substitute for bread. This tree comes from the mulberry family (Moraceae). It can be found in the South Pacific and other tropical areas. It can be roasted, baked, boiled, fried, or dried and ground into flour. |
Landscape | The broadleaf evergreen tree which can grow up to a height of 40-
50 ft (12 - 15 m). The tree has latex, a milky juice. |
Propagation | Easy to propagate from root shoots or root cuttings, air-layering
branches, or from seeds; however, stem cuttings are not used. Seeds rarely grow because they do not develop properly. |
Pests | Relatively pest and disease free. |
Habitat | Southeast Asia and most Pacific Ocean islands. |
Bark/Stem Description | Its bark is brown, smooth, with wart like dots. |
Leaf Description | The large and thick leaves are deeply cut into pinnate lobes. |
Flower Description | The trees are monoecious, with male and female flowers growing on the same tree. The male flowers emerge first, followed shortly afterward by the female flowers, which grow into a capitulum, which is capable of pollination just three days later. |
Fruit Description | When the fruit is ripe it has a yellowish-brown colour, with a starchy pulp that is creamy white to pale yellow. The fruit might contain large brown seeds, seedless selections, or nearly cultivated. The fruit can be cooked and eaten within 15-19 weeks. |
Colour Description | Green. |
Texture Description | Glossy, leathery, rough, thick. |