JACK FRUIT

Description:

It is a small evergreen tree growing to 10-15 m tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, elliptical, 5-25 cm long and 3-12 cm broad, often lobed onyoung trees but entire on mature trees. The flowers are produced in dense inflorescences 3-7 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad; the male and female flowers produced on separate inflorescences, the female inflorescences commonly borne on thick branches or the trunk of the tree (cauliflory).
The fruit is huge, seldom less than about 25cm in diameter. Even a relatively thin tree (circa 10 cm) can have these huge fruits hanging on it. The fruits can reach 36kg in weight and up to 90cm long and 50 cm in diameter.The sweet yellow sheaths around the seeds are about 3-5mm thick and have a taste similar to pineapple but milder and less juicy.Jackfruit is widely grown in South and Southeast Asia and Brazil. The jackfruit is in the mulberry family Moraceae. It is also grown in parts of central and eastern Africa, Brazil, and Suriname. It is the national fruit of Bangladesh

Fruits mature 3 to 8 months from flowering.In India, a good yield is 150 large fruits per tree annually, though some trees bear as many as 250 and a fully mature tree may produce 500, these probably of medium or small size

jackfruit seeds

The seeds can be eaten cooked or baked like beans. They taste similar to chestnuts.

where jackfruit tree grow

The jackfruit tree flourishes in rich, deep soil of medium or open texture, sometimes on deep gravelly or laterite soil. It will grow, but more slowly and not as tall in shallow limestone. In India, they say that the tree grows tall and thin on sand, short and thick on stony land. It cannot tolerate "wet feet". If the roots touch water, the tree will not bear fruit or may die

Jackfruit wood is useful for furniture

It is widely used for manufacture of furniture. Jackwood is an important timber in Ceylon and India; some is exported to Europe. It changes with age from orange or yellow to brown or dark-red; is termite proof, fairly resistant to fungal and bacterial decay, seasons without difficulty, resembles mahogany and is superior to teak for furniture, construction, turnery, masts, oars, implements, brush backs and musical instruments(Indian drums mridangam and kanjira.). Its strength is 75 to 80% that of teak. Though sharp tools are needed to achieve a smooth surface, it polishes beautifully. Roots of old trees are greatly prized for carving and picture framing. Dried branches are employed to produce fire by friction in religious ceremonies in Malabar.