Young Breadfruit Tree
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a tree and fruit originally found in the South Pacific, gaining prominence in the Caribbean through its introduction by Captain Bligh. These large green fruits are edible only after cooking and are often found in local soups. When ripe and yellowish, breadfruit can also be roasted. Despite being a fruit, it is rarely thought of as such.
Young Breadfruit Tree
Young Breadfruit
Description and Growth
The trees are monoecious, meaning they have both male and female flowers. Male flowers appear first, followed by female flowers, which grow into a capitulum capable of pollination within three days. Pollination is primarily done by Old World fruit bats (Family Pteropodidae). The fruit, a compound false fruit, develops from a swollen perianth and originates from 1,500 to 2,000 flowers, visible on the fruit's skin as hexagonal disks.
Fry Breadfruit
Breadfruit Being Roasted
Yield and Productivity
Breadfruit is one of the highest-yielding food plants. A single tree can produce up to 200 or more fruits per season. In the South Pacific, yields range from 50 to 150 fruits annually, while in southern India, typical yields are 150 to 200 fruits per year. Productivity varies with climate; in the West Indies, estimates suggest about 25 fruits per tree. Studies in Barbados indicate potential yields of 6.7 to 13.4 tons per acre (16-32 tons/ha), though higher yields are often viewed with skepticism. Each grapefruit-sized, ovoid fruit has a rough surface and consists of many achenes surrounded by a fleshy perianth on a fleshy receptacle. Some selectively bred cultivars have seedless fruit.
Roasted Breadfruit
The Inside a Roasted Breadfruit
Culinary Uses
Breadfruit is a staple in many tropical regions. Polynesian voyagers spread the plant far from its native range by transporting root cuttings and air-layered plants across long ocean distances. Rich in starch, breadfruit must be roasted, baked, fried, or boiled before consumption. When cooked, its taste is often compared to potatoes or fresh baked bread, hence its name.
Roast Breadfruit
Breadfruit For Boiling
Breadfruit trees produce large crops at specific times of the year, with some varieties also yielding a smaller number of fruits year-round, ensuring a constant, though limited, supply of fresh breadfruit. The fruit can be eaten once cooked or further processed into a variety of other foods.
Preadfruit prepared to be boiled
Boiled Breadfruit
Breadfruit Recipes