Artocarpus Heterophyllus, Jackfruit - 0.5 kg Seeds

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), known as kathal or phanas, is a large evergreen tree of 10-20 m with a dense, dark green canopy of glossy leathery leaves and a milky latex throughout. It is famous for bearing the largest tree-borne fruit in the world directly on the trunk and main branches (cauliflory), the spiny green fruit ripening to a sweet, fragrant pulp around large seeds. Native to the Western Ghats of India, it is grown throughout the warm, humid regions of the country, especially Kerala, Karnataka, the north-east and the eastern states.

It is a major food and fruit tree: the ripe bulbs are eaten fresh, the young green fruit is cooked as a popular vegetable and meat substitute, and the seeds are boiled or roasted. The strong, golden-yellow, termite-resistant timber is prized for furniture, doors and musical instruments, the leaves serve as fodder, and the tree gives heavy shade in homesteads.

• Family: Moraceae
• Native region: Western Ghats of India
• Mature height: 10-20 m
• Growth rate: Moderate to fast

Sowing the seed: jackfruit seed is recalcitrant and must be sown fresh, as it quickly loses viability on drying. Soak the cleaned seeds in water for about 24 hours, then sow them roughly 2-3 cm deep, lying on their side, in deep polybags or beds with rich, well-drained soil. Germination takes about 21-30 days; because the taproot resents disturbance, raise seedlings in deep containers and transplant them young to their permanent site.