Thinking of planting some jackfruit trees in your backyard, or somewhere in your home garden, but aren't sure where to start? Jackfruit can be a unique tree to grow, but they do best in certain hardiness zones, and perform well with certain soil types. Find out how to plant, grow, and care for Jackfruit in your backyard or home garden.Ever wonder what that giant melon-sized oblong fruit is when you pass by a local Asian produce section? That’s jackfruit. This spiny behemoth fruit is native to tropical parts of Southeast Asia. It’s susceptible to frost, can’t survive in drought, and only grows in humid tropical areas.
Jackfruit is one of the most well-known fruit trees globally because it bears the most prominent and heaviest edible fruit that can weigh up to 50 kg. Aside from food, businesses can use the leaves, trunk, roots, and fruits commercially.
Growing jackfruit is not tricky, but you need fresh seeds to get started. If you have ample space in your yard, you can grow this fruit crop quickly and reap its many benefits. Here’s everything you need to know about planting, growing, and caring for a jackfruit tree.Jackfruit also has outstanding nutritional value, and it doesn’t have any cholesterol or saturated fat. Jackfruit has more than enough fiber, potassium, and low calorie and sodium count for a healthy diet. Additionally, the fruit has vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, copper, and magnesium.
The fruit has been propagated traditionally from seeds. There are many variations in its shape, size, fruiting season, and quality.Many cultivars and species of jackfruit are available across Asia, Africa, United States, and the Pacific. Since jackfruit is relatively new to the United States market, the optimal cultivars are still unknown for this region.
In general, this fruit is available in two types: NangkaBelulang (firm) or NangkaBubur (soft), and it has several varieties, including:
Black Gold – This cultivar is vigorous, having a dense canopy. It produces medium-sized fruits, weighing 6.7 kg on average.
Golden Nugget – This variety is fast-growing, having unique dark green leaves and a dense canopy. It produces small-sized and rounded fruits that weigh around 3.2 kg on average.
Golden Pillow – Its high quality and distinctive beauty characterize this variety. This small tree is highly manageable, and it produces small-sized fruits weighing 3.6-5.5 kg on average.
Cochin – This variety is relatively tiny, forming an upright and sparse canopy. It produces small-sized fruits that are smoother than the other varieties.
Dang Rasimi – This cultivar is open and fast-growing, and it needs annual pruning to maintain its height and spread. This tree is highly productive, bearing uniformly shaped fruits that come in varying colors from pale yellow to bright green. The Dang Rasimi needs more maintenance than other varieties of jackfruit.
NS1 – This medium-sized tree has a dense and upright canopy. It produces dark green blocky fruits weighing around 4.2 kg. This cultivar also requires moderate yearly pruning.
In the United States, the recommended varieties include the Golden Nugget, Black Gold, Dang Rasimi, and NS1. Developers came up with most of these cultivars in Malaysia or Australia.
Generally, the outer skin of the jackfruit is composed of conical and hexagonal apices that turn from greenish to brownish-yellow when it matures. The pulp color also ranges from amber to orange to dark yellow.
Each fruit contains 100 to 500 seeds with varying sizes from ¾ to 1.5 inches in diameter. You can cook and eat the seeds. Jackfruit seeds taste a little bit like chestnuts. When the tree or fruit is damaged, it produces a sticky, rubbery white latex, which you can use as paste or glue in various applications.