Dwarf jackfruit varieties for zone 9b . . . ?

[Epicatt2]

Got to wondering recently whether there might be some jackfruit varieties that stay dwarfed
or which can be kept as a smaller tree.

There must be a few varieties that fall into this category.

And then of those which are smaller, which variety has the best flavor profile and also the
lowest latex content when ripe?

The last quality for any of these above described small-treed varieties is whether they will
be cold tolerant enough to survive in Tampa, FL.

All suggestions welcomed!

Paul M.
==

[Mike T]

Nanka mini is really the only one

[Sir Graftalot]

Cochin from Lara Farms:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P2nK-RazN1w

Here's a picture of my grafted tree with a flower at just one foot.

[Epicatt2]

Thanks for that info, guys.

Much appreciated!

Paul M.
==

[Sir Graftalot]

Happy to help 

[Mike T]

Cochin is an Australian selection that can grown large. It has become rare in its home and like the gold series is yesterdays jackfruit hero. Just about all varieties can be maintained below 3m with effort. The mini jack is the real deal and quite gracile but no doubt could reach a reasonable size if left to its own devices in good conditions.

[Sir Graftalot]

Duped again! Never trust what you see on YouTube is the lesson of the day. 🤦‍♂️

[palingkecil]

I bought a Cochin not based on the size, but on the taste review.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DLxHfBO1ig0&t=119s&pp=ygUQY29jaGluIGphY2tmcnVpdA%3D%3D

This is from Lara Farm, it does not seem that they hang a fake jackfruit for the review.
It seems that it has a soft texture too, which i like. It is impossible to grow chempedak here, so soft flesh jackfruit is my only option.
The fruit is medium size, which is very important for So- Cal because big size fruit will not make it through winter.
My tree is still small, grafted 1 year old about 3 ft tall, but i will try to control the size with prunning it regularly. Most jackfruit trees i saw in Indonesia are not huge because they prune it. They also hang fruits low because of the prunning. Now I need to learn how to prune it correctly.

[Mike T]

I am not saying they are not respectable but are soft, can be generous with latex and I have seen trees that would make a lumberjack's heart skip a beat.

[palingkecil]

I am not saying they are not respectable but are soft, can be generous with latex and I have seen trees that would make a lumberjack's heart skip a beat.

Thanks for confirming that they are soft! I really want soft jackfruit that taste intensely sweet with bubble gum aroma. Well, that as close as I can get to chempedak.
Does chempedak grow well in your climate, Mike? If i can grow one here then I would not bother with jackfruit.
As for the tree size, I grew up in Indonesia, and I went to the villages in Java a lot. We ran around picking up rambutan, ketjapi, and sometimes mangoes too off the ground. Those trees were never trimmed, so they are huge. But I recall the jacfruit and durian trees were relatively on the small side, about 5-7 meters, rarely reach 10 meters. Back then, they did not have dwarf jackfruit or dwarf durian. These are all generic trees.
So the villagers keep trimming jackfruit and durian trees, because if they let the trees grow huge, it would be dangerous when the fruits drop. A ripe regular size jackfruit or durian would easily kill a pedestrian if it falls off. Also for the purpose of easier harvest, I guess.
As for trees with small and harmless fruits, they let those grow huge and just picking the ripe fruits off the ground.

[Mike T]

There are quite a few chempadak varieties grown in my area but they are less common than jacks and people are less familiar with them. I really like the hybrids between the two. Soft jacks are not really like chempas at all in taste or latex. Seedling trees especially get big with durians and jacks and 10m is not big. Rambutans get pretty hefty as well even marcotted ones. For that matter mangosteen trees get as big as mango trees which obviously get way larger in the tropics also. Some of the Artocarpus like pedalai as well as santol trees can real giants.

[Mike T]

I didn't mention some important differences in the use between chempas and jacks. The seeds of both are good as the starch element in stews and curries and can be boiled and eaten like chestnuts btw. Like chempadak flesh is often fried and eaten pan cooked. Jacks that are cooked are green and often used as a meat substitute in dishes.

[Gone tropo]

Mike most of the info on this forum re chempedak is old from old posts of yours would be good to update with your thoughts on the best chempedaks around today in 2024? Maybe I should start a new thread. I have a twisted chempedak from your brother and also one of unknown heritage from Trina at fff. I know zappalas have supposedly the best chempedak in the world “flaming red” ? I have never seen trees of these for sale anywhere will continue to look. Have also seen “durian” chempedak trees floating around not sure where these fit in also Lepoard ?

[Mike T]

Ok Zapalla does have the durian chempas which are really good an rough skinned and their orange fleshed flaming one I have tried and its almost as good. It has larger bulbs than the leopard skin which is more savoury and perhaps not as good. Remembering Malaysia has over 40 registered varieties and no doubt over 20 would be very good. While maybe 15 varieties have been brought to this corner of the fruit world, FNQ did inherit some of the best. I know Trina/Peter has at least 3 really good ones including what I call honey. Peter had a great type with its first fruit at Feast of the Senses in Innisfail in March that was like a big CH35. Alan Carle has a very good small type with small bulbs much like honey variety and he also has a big twisted tree. There are others but in this region if I was to rank them according to my reckoning it might not be the same as what other people thing.If held at gun point and forced to rate them I would say twisted and the new one of Peter Sallaras are on par with durian, zapalla orange and the honey style (small bullet shaped dull yellowish when ripe) just behind them. There are some big guns in Malaysia we could use.

[bradflorida]

Excalibur sells a variety called Cristela. The tree I bought had a slow growth habit.

[Artocarpus]

If you are planning to grow outside a greenhouse have you considered a vigorous grower? If a low vigor grower gets frosted it will be a more serious problem for regrowth than a more vigorous grower. Just a thought.

[Gone tropo]

Some great info Mike thanks.

Sorry to derail topic.

[Sir Graftalot]

Sorry, misread.