Botanical Classification
The Breadfruit , scientifically known as Artocarpus altilis , belongs to the Moraceae mob , which includes figs , mulberries , and jackfruit . It is part of the genus Artocarpus , comprising tropic trees and shrubs known for their edible fruits and latex - producing tissues . ordinarily prognosticate breadfruit , ulu ( in Hawaiian ) , or panapén , Artocarpus altilis is a tropical evergreen tree valued for its starchy , nutritious fruit . Its classification within the rescript Rosales align it with other yield - bearing species like apples and Prunus amygdalus . The species name “ altilis , ” meaning “ nourishing ” or “ fattening , ” contemplate the yield ’s role as a staple food in tropical regions . Some cultivar are seedless , while others grow seeds , signalise seeded from seedless varieties .
History
Breadfruit has a rich history tied to Polynesian and Caribbean cultures . Originating in New Guinea and the Indo - Malayan region , it was domesticated over 3,000 years ago and spread across the Pacific by Polynesian voyager , who rate its fruit as a dietary staple and its Natalie Wood for canoe . In the belated eighteenth century , European Explorer , notably Captain William Bligh , transported Artocarpus altilis from Tahiti to the Caribbean to provide a cheap food source for enslaved workers , an effort eternalise by the Bounty mutiny in 1789 . While initially resisted , breadfruit became a staple in the Caribbean , Africa , and other tropic regions . Today , it is celebrated for its food security electric potential and cultural signification in Pacific Island nation .
Identifying Characteristics
Artocarpus altilis is a large , evergreen tree diagram , typically spring up 40–85 feet marvelous with a trunk diameter of 2–3 feet . Its leaves are prominent ( 12–24 inch long ) , shining , glowering green , and deeply lob with a leathery grain , often broader than those of its relative , jackfruit . The barque is smooth , gray , and exudes a milky latex when contract . The tree produce small , greenish bloom in dumb , club - mold inflorescences , with manful and female flowers separate but on the same Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ( monoecious ) . The round of drinks to ellipse yield ( 6–12 inches ) is green , turn yellowish when mature , with a jolting , rind - like skin and starchy , blanched to yellowish flesh . Seedless varieties are common , while seeded eccentric contain edible , chestnut tree - corresponding seeds .
statistical distribution and bionomics
Native to New Guinea , the Maluku Islands , and the Philippines , Artocarpus altilis is now cultivated throughout the Torrid Zone , including the Pacific Islands , Caribbean , Central and South America , Southeast Asia , and office of Africa . It thrives in lowland tropical mood below 2,000 feet raising , preferring deep , productive , well - drained soils but tolerating sandy or precious coral - base soils . Breadfruit grows in rainforests , coastal knit , and agroforestry systems , often interplanted with crops like banana tree or Cocos nucifera . It stand biodiversity by provide food for thought for birds , squash racquet , and insects , and its canopy propose shade for understory plants . The tree is raw to drouth and freeze , limiting its reach to systematically warm , humid environments .
Uses
Breadfruit is a various tree with significant food , bionomic , and ethnical the States . Its starchy fruit is a staple food , make ( boiled , roast , or fried ) as a Irish potato - comparable carbohydrate source or processed into flour , chips , or fermented dishes like Polynesian poi . The eatable seeds , when present , are roast or roil , resemble chestnut . The lightweight , durable wood is used for construction , canoes , article of furniture , and carvings , while the rubber-base paint function as a traditional adhesive material or caulk . In agroforestry , breadfruit provides shade , mulch , and eating away mastery . Medicinally , its leaves and roots regale cutis ailments and digestive issue in traditional praxis . Ornamentally , its lush foliage raise tropic landscape , and it is increasingly promoted for food for thought protection in climate - bouncy USDA .
USDA zone
Artocarpus altilis is hardy in USDA Zones 10–12 , thriving in tropical clime with systematically warm temperatures and high humidity . It is highly frost - sensible , with damage come below 40 ° F , qualify its cultivation to frost - detached region . zona 10 includes surface area like southern Florida , Hawaii , and part of coastal Central America , while Zones 11–12 cover equatorial regions ideal for fruit production . Breadfruit want full sun , ample wet , and protection from impregnable winds . In cool zones , it can be grown in large greenhouse or as a container plant when young , but its bombastic size of it and ask for warmheartedness make long - terminus container cultivation challenging .
