Article from Edible South Florida
by Dr. Richard Campbell
Joy of Jackfruit
Only a few years ago, this massive fruit with its powerful
fruity aroma seemed to be a novelty in South Florida, little known
except to tropical fruit aficionados and members of the Asian
community. Today, you can find fresh jackfruit at farmers markets, on
restaurant menus and in backyards with increasing frequency.
Fig. 1. Jackfruit at Fruit and Spice Park.
“There is definitely
more awareness today,” says Dr. Richard Campbell,
director of horticulture and senior curator of tropical fruit at
Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. “The jackfruit has a strong
cultural connection with the people of Asia. Here in South Florida
there is a growing awareness of the jackfruit that comes through these
ethnic groups. Mango is indeed highly successful in South Florida and
is our biggest farm-gate fruit, but jackfruit is also strong and
growing. Using the Asian culture and awareness, South Florida farmers
and markets have been successful with jackfruit.”
A member of the mulberry family, the jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
is native to Asia. Its spiky bright green fruits, weighing upward of 30
to 40 pounds, hang from the trunk. Inside are fleshy arils surrounding
large, starchy seeds. Green jackfruit has a meaty quality and is often
used as a vegetable in curries. Ripe flesh is reminiscent of
bananas, pineapple, mango and Juicy Fruit gum. Its powerful perfume
sometimes provokes a love-it-or-hate-it response, but Campbell blames
that reaction on inferior fruits.
“The strong response stems
from the overpowering aroma and unfortunately poor quality experience
that is often offered to the jackfruit neophyte,” he says. “If one is
introduced to a superior jackfruit at the peak of quality it is well
accepted by most. Children are most likely to enjoy the jackfruit.
Green jackfruit does widen the appeal as well through the addition of a
meaty texture and range of taste experiences.”
Fig. 2. Cut jackfruit at farmers market.
Jackfruit
trees are easy to grow in South Florida, he says. They are frequently
offered as part of Miami-Dade’s free Adopt-A-Tree giveaways. Care is
similar to avocado. “Fertilization, watering and pruning are key,”
Campbell says. Tried-and-true varieties for South Florida include
‘Black Gold’ and ‘Gold Nugget.’ “The new selections from Fairchild came
from our breeding program whereby we wanted to achieve excellent
quality with a smaller-sized fruit. The new selections also are
productive and have greater cold tolerance than our traditional
jackfruit.”
Campbell sees a huge potential for jackfruit in this
hemisphere. “It is versatile and productive. It fits in with
subsistence and big agriculture. It can be used for forestry. Our new
varieties are manageable, small-fruited and delicious,” he says. “The
future is bright for this rising star of the tropical fruit world.”
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Bibliography
Campbell, Richard. "Joy of Jackfruit." Edible South Florida, 7 Sept. 2014, ediblesouthflorida.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/joy-jackfruit.
Accessed 10 July 2020.
Photographs
Fig. 1 Añez, Alfredo. "Jackfruit at Fruit and Spice Park." Edible South Florida, 7 Sept. 2014, ediblesouthflorida.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/joy-jackfruit.
Accessed 10 July 2020.
Fig. 2 "Cut jackfruit at farmers market." Edible South Florida, 7 Sept. 2014, ediblesouthflorida.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/joy-jackfruit.
Accessed 10 July 2020.
Published 10 July 2020 LR
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