Often asked: How Fast Do Breadfruit Trees Grow?

Breadfruit is fast growing in favorable conditions, growing 0.5–1.5 m (1.7–4.8 ft) per year and to a diameter of close to 1 m (3.3 ft) in the first 10–12 years. Small branches often die back at the tip after fruiting, but new shoots and branches continue to develop throughout the life of the tree.

How long does a breadfruit tree take to bear?

Breadfruit plants start to bear fruit 2 – 3 years after planting and can continue production for more than twenty years.

Is breadfruit easy to grow?

Breadfruit trees can be propagated by seed (if you have a seeded variety), root cuttings, air layering, and even stem cuttings. The breadfruit is most often propagated by transplanting suckers which naturally grow from the roots of the parent plant. Propagating breadfruit can be really easy.

How much space does a breadfruit tree need?

The site for your breadfruit should be sunny and have space for a tree, that with careful pruning, you can keep to about 15-20 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide. Look up and make sure buildings, other trees or electric wires are not in the way of the future tree canopy.

How many fruits does a breadfruit tree produce?

Breadfruit is one of the highest-yielding food plants, with a single tree producing up to 200 or more grapefruit-sized fruits per season, requiring limited care. In the South Pacific, the trees yield 50 to 150 fruits per year, usually round, oval or oblong weighing 0.25–6 kg.

Does breadfruit have tap root?

Owing to the absence of seeds, breadfruit has an adventitious root system which is well branched. The roots can extend a considerable distance away from the trees but they do not grow deeply in the soil. The breadnut tree, by contrast, has a tap root system because it develops from a seed.

How do you take care of breadfruit?

How to Care for a Breadfruit Tree

1. Insert a garden stake in the soil, just beside the plant’s stem.
2. Keep the tree in full sun.
3. Mist potted plants daily with water using a spray bottle.
4. Remove dead or damaged limbs whenever you see them.

How do breadfruit reproduce?

Breadfruit is usually propagated by taking root cuttings or shoots, which produce a tree identical to the parent plant. Other common methods include layering, in-vitro propagation, or grafting. Once established, breadfruit trees require very little care.

Can you air layer breadfruit?

Starting new breadfruit trees by air layering involves much less digging in the dirt. However, this breadfruit propagating method should only be done on young, immature breadfruit trees that are not old enough to produce fruit yet. You can then cut this newly rooted air layered cutting from the parent plant.

Is there a dwarf breadfruit tree?

There are some dwarf varieties of breadfruit tree available, and these perform much better in containers. Breadfruit trees are native to the tropics, and they need lots of moisture.

What are the benefits of breadfruit?

Breadfruit is packed with nutrients, which lower cholesterol, fight infections, promote youthful skin and healthy hair. Since it contains a good amount of fiber that reduces the rate of glucose absorption, it is a diabetic friendly food.

Is breadfruit a seasonal?

Seasons/Availability Breadfruit is available year-round with short seasonal gaps.

What is the season for breadfruit?

Breadfruits are most abundant in Hawaiian markets off and on from July to February. Flowering starts in March in northern India and fruits are ready for harvest in about 3 months. Seeded breadfruits growing in the Eastern Caroline Islands fruit only once a year but the season is 3 months long—from December to March.

What is the best method of eating the breadfruit tree?

Steaming is a great way to cook breadfruit to eat alone or in dishes. Do not overcook or breadfruit will become mushy and waterlogged! Breadfruit can be pan- or deep-fried, much like potato. If peeled fruit is desired, blanching raw fruit before peeling helps loosen the skin from flesh.

Can you eat breadfruit raw?

Raw, unripened breadfruit is inedible and must be cooked before consuming. Once breadfruit is moderately to fully ripe, it can be consumed raw. With it’s potato-like flavor and texture, breadfruit goes into a vast array of dishes. Here are the most common ways to prepare breadfruit for all kinds of dishes.