Artocarpus altilis – Native Plant Search

Native Range

A native plant refers to a species of plant that has naturally evolved and grown in a particular geographic area without any human intervention or introduction. These plants have adapted to the local climate, soil, and ecological conditions over an extended period of time, often thousands of years. Because of this co-evolution with their specific environment, native plants have developed characteristics that make them well-suited to the local ecosystem and provide essential resources for local wildlife.

Native plants play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of an area. They provide food and habitat for native wildlife, support pollinators like bees and butterflies, and contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem. Additionally, native plants often require fewer resources like water and fertilizers compared to non-native or exotic plants that may not be well-suited to the local environment.

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Native Continent

Asia-Tropical, Pacific

Asia-Tropical

Indonesia, Papua, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Maluku, Philippines,

Pacific

Micronesia (perhaps indigenous), Palau, United States, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Vanuatu (perhaps indigenous)

Natural Habitat

Edible Uses

Edible portion: Fruit, Seeds, Leaves, Flowers, Vegetable. Breadfruit is a versatile food that can be cooked and eaten at all stages of its development. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. The unripe fruit, as small as 2 - 6cm in diameter, is eaten as a starchy vegetable with a flavour similar to that of artichoke hearts. It can be prepared in various ways including boiling, baking, added to soups, pickling etc. Ripe fruits are somewhat sweet and are occasionally eaten raw, but are more often cooked as a starchy vegetable or fermented into a cheese-like food. The mature fruit can be dried and ground into a flour. The mature fruit is about 20cm long. Compared with other staple starch crops, breadfruit is a better source of protein than is cassava; it is comparable to sweet potato and banana. It is a relatively good source of iron, calcium, potassium and riboflavin. Seed - cooked. Firm and close-textured, they are very nutritious, with a flavour somewhat reminiscent of chestnuts. They can be cooked with the raw breadfruit or removed and boiled or roasted. They are usually peeled before being eaten. Both fresh and cooked seeds contain about 8% protein. The seeds are low in fat compared with tree nuts such as almond, brazil nut and macadamia nut, which contain 50 - 70% fat. The seeds are a good source of minerals and contain more niacin than cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, pecans, black walnuts or chestnuts. Male inflorescence - cooked and used as a vegetable or used in the preparation of a sweetmeat.