First Fruiting of Red Chempadek

[fruitlovers]

Finally got my first fruits off my own chempadek trees. This one has been a real challenge for some unknown reason. I have 4 trees, 2 just came into bearing. The other 2, also quite large, didn't even flower. The fruits on this loaded tree are similar to what MikeT posted calling Twisted Chempadek. But i didn't get them from him. The taste was rather strange and a bit chalky, also very chewy. Might just  be because they are the first fruits.

[TropicalFruitHunters]

Your tree is certainly loaded for first fruits.  Congrats!  Everyone was very excited when we had the opportunity to try this for the first time in PR.  The flavor was good but I found the fruit very slimy and soft...not a consistency combo I cared for.  I found the neighboring jackfruit much better.

[Finca La Isla]

The texture and consistency will be less slimy if the fruit is not so ripe.  It can also have a little tang to it.  Once it barely starts to smell might be more appealing.  In any case you won't get the latex often present in jaks.
Peter

[Mike T]

They vary so much in all characteristics.Oscar while it looks like a twisted but a bit smaller it is more like the most common variety I see around here.While the fruit will get better with subsequent seasons it should be a reasonable indication of fruit quality still.It does appear to have softer flesh than most and that is a big tree to be just opening its account.I wonder if delayed fruiting could be because Hawaii doesn't get prolonged periods of hotter say 28c min to 35c max periods that they seem to enjoy.They are good in smoothies with banana.

[fruitlovers]

The texture and consistency will be less slimy if the fruit is not so ripe.  It can also have a little tang to it.  Once it barely starts to smell might be more appealing.  In any case you won't get the latex often present in jaks.
Peter

The other big advantage is that chempadek is so much easier to open and eat than jackfruit.

[fruitlovers]

They vary so much in all characteristics.Oscar while it looks like a twisted but a bit smaller it is more like the most common variety I see around here.While the fruit will get better with subsequent seasons it should be a reasonable indication of fruit quality still.It does appear to have softer flesh than most and that is a big tree to be just opening its account.I wonder if delayed fruiting could be because Hawaii doesn't get prolonged periods of hotter say 28c min to 35c max periods that they seem to enjoy.They are good in smoothies with banana.

Yes that tree should have fruited long ago. There is other peculiar thing, i think also reported by Luc, that tree leaves a bit yellowish when young. Only have one tree, planted in partial shade, that is fruiting quite young.

[DurianLover]

Chempedak is taking a hit on a reputation here , I have to respond to defend it . Fruit in a picture looks like one of those plentiful and easily available varieties in Malaysia. Basically one has to spit nearly entire flesh after extracting flavor.  Good jackfruit is better than this. However if one comes across exquisite chempedak variety than chempedak vs jackfruit debate ends very quickly. Think creamy yet juicy orange sherbet goodness with world's highest brix for common fruits (32-35 range). In the words of David Chandlee : "Chempedak made us forget entirely about Jakfruit because it was sweeter and richer in flavor".

[fruitlovers]

Chempedak is taking a hit on a reputation here , I have to respond to defend it . Fruit in a picture looks like one of those plentiful and easily available varieties in Malaysia. Basically one has to spit nearly entire flesh after extracting flavor.  Good jackfruit is better than this. However if one comes across exquisite chempedak variety than chempedak vs jackfruit debate ends very quickly. Think creamy yet juicy orange sherbet goodness with world's highest brix for common fruits (32-35 range). In the words of David Chandlee : "Chempedak made us forget entirely about Jakfruit because it was sweeter and richer in flavor".

Yes, have been to Malaysia and totally agree with you. They have some really excellent improved cultivars of chempadek. Main problem is getting access to their dozens of grafted cultivars.  To be clear, my review was only of my tree, and of first fruit off that tree, not to all chempadeks, like you seem to have concluded.

[DurianLover]

Chempedak is taking a hit on a reputation here , I have to respond to defend it . Fruit in a picture looks like one of those plentiful and easily available varieties in Malaysia. Basically one has to spit nearly entire flesh after extracting flavor.  Good jackfruit is better than this. However if one comes across exquisite chempedak variety than chempedak vs jackfruit debate ends very quickly. Think creamy yet juicy orange sherbet goodness with world's highest brix for common fruits (32-35 range). In the words of David Chandlee : "Chempedak made us forget entirely about Jakfruit because it was sweeter and richer in flavor".

Yes, have been to Malaysia and totally agree with you. They have some really excellent improved cultivars of chempadek. Main problem is getting access to their dozens of grafted cultivars.  To be clear, my review was only of my tree, and of first fruit off that tree, not to all chempadeks, like you seem to have concluded.

I know you are on the "good side" having said previously that good chempedak is better than good jackfruit. My response is basically to another person's post, because someone might get wrong impression after reading this thread that chempedaks are basically not as worthy as jackfruits.

[fruitlovers]

Chempedak is taking a hit on a reputation here , I have to respond to defend it . Fruit in a picture looks like one of those plentiful and easily available varieties in Malaysia. Basically one has to spit nearly entire flesh after extracting flavor.  Good jackfruit is better than this. However if one comes across exquisite chempedak variety than chempedak vs jackfruit debate ends very quickly. Think creamy yet juicy orange sherbet goodness with world's highest brix for common fruits (32-35 range). In the words of David Chandlee : "Chempedak made us forget entirely about Jakfruit because it was sweeter and richer in flavor".

Yes, have been to Malaysia and totally agree with you. They have some really excellent improved cultivars of chempadek. Main problem is getting access to their dozens of grafted cultivars.  To be clear, my review was only of my tree, and of first fruit off that tree, not to all chempadeks, like you seem to have concluded.

I know you are on the "good side" having said previously that good chempedak is better than good jackfruit. My response is basically to another person's post, because someone might get wrong impression after reading this thread that chempedaks are basically not as worthy as jackfruits.

Chempadek can be an excellent fruit. Certainly worth growing. I think though chempadek is a lot more challenging to grow than jackfruit. Jackfruit seems more hardy, vigorous, and widely adaptable than chempadek. Still. it's worth the challenge.

[Finca La Isla]

While champedak doesn't have the very wide appeal of something like mangosteen it is in demand at our farmers market.  The other day I had to cut the last one in half as two people arrived at the same time for it.  They both understood and were content to get half of the 4kg fruit.
Peter

[fruitlovers]

Harvested 2 fruits off my younger tree, which is only about 5 years old. These were really delicious. Very sweet and habit forming tasting. Surprisingly the arils were orange colored. I changed the subject heading to red chempadek as i'm sure that's what they would get called by unscrupulous (and colorblind) nurseryman. HAHA Also thought more of you would read this if you see the word "red" chempadek is in the subject heading.
I am not sure about the source of original seeds? Could be one of Mike T's?  Mike do you have any with arils this color?

[stuartdaly88]

Looks really tasty! Congratulations 

[Vernmented]

I changed the subject heading to red chempadek as i'm sure that's what they would get called by unscrupulous (and colorblind) nurseryman. HAHA Also thought more of you would read this if you see the word "red" chempadek is in the subject heading.

Worked on me.

[Mike T]

Oscar I would have only sent the leopard skin and twisted chempadak seeds to you only and in late 2012 onwards at the earliest. The leopard skin is farmer flesh,deeper orange and smoother skinned and anomalous so unlikely to be a seedling from that.The twisted has jackfruit sized fruit and extra big bulbs so also unlikely from those also.It looks more like one of the nice tasting standards and calling it red is a bit of a stretch but there are some types with very orange flesh. Shades of yellow from very pale to yellow/orange is what is more common.

[fruitlovers]

Oscar I would have only sent the leopard skin and twisted chempadak seeds to you only and in late 2012 onwards at the earliest. The leopard skin is farmer flesh,deeper orange and smoother skinned and anomalous so unlikely to be a seedling from that.The twisted has jackfruit sized fruit and extra big bulbs so also unlikely from those also.It looks more like one of the nice tasting standards and calling it red is a bit of a stretch but there are some types with very orange flesh. Shades of yellow from very pale to yellow/orange is what is more common.

Thanks for the info Mike.

[ScottR]

Congrat's Oscar, on your fruiting Chempadek, man those pic's make my mouth water just looking at them plus never even tasted one

[luc]

I am a Chempedak fanatic and had the extreme pleasure to taste them in Malaysia and at Peter's Finca la Isla in Costa Rica . Peter cut me one that was perfectly ripe .....and it was to die for . Actually in my opinion / taste buds , it comes very close to a good Durion . I tasted some in Brazil also but these were very slimy .  Had my first ' flowering ' this year , no fruit set . Congratulations Oscar , my only tree looks like shit compared to yours . Even Raul's ( who is at sea-level ) looks like they were grown in Biafra ...I really don't understand what our problem is .