A historically significant fruit that goes beyond food and medicine. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Breadfruit can be found growing worldwide, used for food, medicine, boat building, and to prevent erosion of hillsides. All parts of the tree are used, and they are an important part of the ecosystem, wherever they grow. From the same family as mulberry and jackfruit, breadfruit is similar in texture to freshly cooked bread, and it tastes a little like potato.
Photo by Joseph V M on Unsplash
Today, breadfruit is grown in over 90 countries. You can grow it too, as long as your climate is right, of course. There are hundreds of Breadfruit varieties. It does well in in USDA Zones 9 to 11. The average air temperatures need to be between 60-100°F during the growing season. Anything under 40°F will damage or kill your breadfruit tree. Some breadfruit turns a light shade of yellow when it’s ready. Others you can’t judge by the color.Use the plant as a potato substitute. You can also candy breadfruit, roast it, mash it, or fry it up. Make “french” fries, and add to curries, stews, and many other dishes.
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