Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a tropical tree that produces a large starchy fruit with flavor similar to baked bread, potato or plantain. Its origin is from the South Pacific where it has many names including ‘ulu in Hawaiian, uto in Fiji, and mei in Tonga. In Spanish, it’s called fruita de pan.
Breadfruit is in the Moraceae or fig family and related to the jackfruit and breadnut. It is one of the highest-yielding fruiting plants and growing in the right conditions it can produce 200 fruits per year. Breadfruit is by weight 27% carbohydrates and contains vitamin C and potassium. It is a very filling and important staple food in many cultures.
Breadfruit is now widely distributed around the world and can be grown in the southernmost and coastal areas of Florida, the Caribbean, Central America, Africa and Southeast Asia. It is a nicely shaped, long-lived tree that can reach up to 85′ but is most manageable to prune and harvest fruits when kept to a height of 30′ or less. Trees should be pruned so branches don’t touch the ground, topped to reduce height, and dead wood should be removed in the canopy.
There are over 2,000 documented varieties of breadfruit across the Pacific. In Hawaii, the most common commercially sold varieties include Ma’afala, Maoli, Fiti, Otea, and Puou.
Breadfruit can be propagated by seed, cutting and most commonly air layering of root suckers. Learn more about breadfruit propagation on the University of Hawaii’s Indigenous Cropping Systems website.
Breadfruit may be affected by fungal diseases including Phytophtera, Fusarium, and Anthracnose. Diseases can be managed by good field hygiene such as removing old or diseased fruit, pruning to increase air flow in the tree canopy also helps reduce disease pressure.
For a more in depth publication on breadfruit disease management see the extension publication on Breadfruit and Breadfruit Diseases in Hawaii by University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
Breadfruit can be cooked a variety of ways depending on the ripeness, ranging from starchy to sweet. It can be cooked similar to potatoes. Add salt, pepper and olive oil to roast it in the oven, steam in in a pot and add it to your favorite stir fries and curries, it can also be mashed and flavored with coconut milk. Traditionally, breadfruit was cooked by roasting it on an open fire and turning frequently until the skin turns black and the inside is soft.
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