Author Topic: My Breadfruit (Read 16622 times)

Fruitguy · « **on:** March 13, 2012, 08:05:53 PM »

Just planted my PR breadfruit this past weekend. So far so good. My previous attempt a few years ago succumbed to root rot during the month of may. Go figure. LOL

murahilin · « **Reply #1 on:** March 13, 2012, 08:09:13 PM »

Cool. Do you know the cultivar?

TropicalFruitHunters · « **Reply #2 on:** March 13, 2012, 08:23:56 PM »

What did you remove? The space looks too clear! The plant looks good though. It will be interesting to see if it takes off now that it is in the ground.

Fruitguy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 13, 2012, 09:24:02 PM »

Quote from: murahilin on March 13, 2012, 08:09:13 PM

Cool. Do you know the cultivar?

You were there when I got it. I thought YOU wrote down the name??!?!!

(The tag simply says "Pana Pan", which I believe means.... breadfruit. If anyone can state otherwise, please speak up!

)

Quote from: ohiojay on March 13, 2012, 08:23:56 PM

What did you remove? The space looks too clear! The plant looks good though. It will be interesting to see if it takes off now that it is in the ground.

Nothing interesting. There were lots of butterfly attracting plants there before, but I cut them way back. They had been multiplying out of control. Not to worry, I still get lots of butterflies, bees, and for the first time last year I saw a hummingbird.

murahilin · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2012, 09:27:38 PM »

I had three different cultivars growing last year. If I knew you were interested in planting out breadfruit I would have given you one.

Fruitguy · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2012, 09:40:07 PM »

NOW you tell me?

fruitlovers · « **Reply #6 on:** March 14, 2012, 12:38:31 AM »

Warren, are you sure that is really breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and not breadnut (Artocarpus camansi)? Where in PR did you get it? Unfortunately a lot of the folks in PR don't seem to get that there is a BIG difference and call both of them breadfruit. But both are very different fruts. The leaves on your plant look to me like camansi. The good news is that camansi is easier to grow i think.
Oscar

Ethan · « **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2012, 02:29:05 AM »

Pretty looking tree Warren hopefully it will go crazy for you, definitely an awesome ingredient to cook with.

I'm sure Jay said he was going to write down the cultivar name for you.

-Ethan

TropicalFruitHunters · « **Reply #8 on:** March 14, 2012, 06:46:33 AM »

Sorry...some pulasan juice got on my notes and blurred the ink!

Fruitguy · « **Reply #9 on:** March 14, 2012, 08:09:29 AM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on March 14, 2012, 12:38:31 AM

Warren, are you sure that is really breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and not breadnut (Artocarpus camansi)? Where in PR did you get it? Unfortunately a lot of the folks in PR don't seem to get that there is a BIG difference and call both of them breadfruit. But both are very different fruts. The leaves on your plant look to me like camansi. The good news is that camansi is easier to grow i think.
Oscar

The plant came from Eneida's Nursery. It is grafted, and the tag clearly indicates A. altilis. While they were not available on this past visit, in prior visits to Eneida's they had A. camansi as seedlings only. Hopefully it will live long enough for me to find out!

Sleepdoc · « **Reply #10 on:** March 14, 2012, 09:22:30 AM »

I just purchased a Breadfruit from Pine Island and planted it on Monday. I know it will likely die when winter rolls around, but the tree just looked so cool I couldn't resist

Variety is Ma'afala

HMHausman · « **Reply #11 on:** March 14, 2012, 02:27:57 PM »

That's the problem with breadfuit here in Florida. You can fruit them if we get another run of 5-7 years of no freezing temps. Thats unlikely in the present cycle, but one can hope. What are your plans for cold protection on these Warren and Clint?

Harry

fruitlovers · « **Reply #12 on:** March 14, 2012, 05:53:29 PM »

Quote from: Fruitguy on March 14, 2012, 08:09:29 AM

Quote from: fruitlovers on March 14, 2012, 12:38:31 AM
Warren, are you sure that is really breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and not breadnut (Artocarpus camansi)? Where in PR did you get it? Unfortunately a lot of the folks in PR don't seem to get that there is a BIG difference and call both of them breadfruit. But both are very different fruts. The leaves on your plant look to me like camansi. The good news is that camansi is easier to grow i think.
Oscar

The plant came from Eneida's Nursery. It is grafted, and the tag clearly indicates A. altilis. While they were not available on this past visit, in prior visits to Eneida's they had A. camansi as seedlings only. Hopefully it will live long enough for me to find out!

Breadfruit can get established in very hostile environments, as long as they are babied when small. This was one of the main points of one of the speakers at Breadfruit Festival here. Suggest to keep it constantly moist, mulched, and protected from wind. So lots of TLC till they get at least 4 feet tall.
Oscar

Sleepdoc · « **Reply #13 on:** March 14, 2012, 06:40:39 PM »

Quote from: HMHausman on March 14, 2012, 02:27:57 PM

That's the problem with breadfuit here in Florida. You can fruit them if we get another run of 5-7 years of no freezing temps. Thats unlikely in the present cycle, but one can hope. What are your plans for cold protection on these Warren and Clint?

Harry

Harry,

I really have no cold protection plan .... I know there is a very, very high chance that it will not survive the winter. But the tree just looked so cool I had to buy it anyway. Very much an impulse buy, but hey, you never know right?

I was there at pine island really to pick up a Kaimana Lychee and a Sri Chompoo Longan. Those two little tree's have a new home on the bank of my pond ...

fruitlovers · « **Reply #14 on:** March 14, 2012, 06:46:29 PM »

Very nice yard Sleepdoc! What distance did you plant those 2 lychees? I'm guessing from photo number 2 that they are way too close to one another. You don't want them to shade each other out. Any part of the tree that gets shaded will not produce fruits. I like to plant them 30 feet apart. Minimum would be 25 feet apart. As you probably saw from Harry's photos, lychees get to be large trees with a wide canopy.
Oscar

Sleepdoc · « **Reply #15 on:** March 14, 2012, 07:30:23 PM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on March 14, 2012, 06:46:29 PM

Very nice yard Sleepdoc! What distance did you plant those 2 lychees? I'm guessing from photo number 2 that they are way too close to one another. You don't want them to shade each other out. Any part of the tree that gets shaded will not produce fruits. I like to plant them 30 feet apart. Minimum would be 25 feet apart. As you probably saw from Harry's photos, lychees get to be large trees with a wide canopy.
Oscar

Thanks Oscar

Good eye on the spacing. They are about 12 feet apart... Too close I agree. But with the wife sequestering my trees to certain areas.... Well, let's just say a lot of my trees are "packed in"

Fruitguy · « **Reply #16 on:** March 14, 2012, 10:57:58 PM »

Quote from: HMHausman on March 14, 2012, 02:27:57 PM

That's the problem with breadfuit here in Florida. You can fruit them if we get another run of 5-7 years of no freezing temps. Thats unlikely in the present cycle, but one can hope. What are your plans for cold protection on these Warren and Clint?

Harry

There is (or at least was) a fruiting tree in Coral Gables. Therefore, wind protection (as Oscar noted) and wrap plastic around 4 rebar poles should I be fortunate enough to have it survive until winter.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #17 on:** March 14, 2012, 11:48:43 PM »

Quote from: Fruitguy on March 14, 2012, 10:57:58 PM

There is (or at least was) a fruiting tree in Coral Gables. Therefore, wind protection (as Oscar noted) and wrap plastic around 4 rebar poles should I be fortunate enough to have it survive until winter.

Don't see anything that would keep breadfruit from flourishing there, except for the sudden arctic blasts. They don't mind limestone soil, grow great in coral atolls, and you have high enough temperature and humidity to keep it happy.
Oscar

Fruitguy · « **Reply #18 on:** March 16, 2012, 07:58:48 AM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on March 14, 2012, 11:48:43 PM

Don't see anything that would keep breadfruit from flourishing there, except for the sudden arctic blasts. They don't mind limestone soil, grow great in coral atolls, and you have high enough temperature and humidity to keep it happy.
Oscar

I didn't take it in quick enough (in hindsight) before the temps dropped to the upper 40s (brrrr) for a few hours this winter and it nearly defoliated. I had one expire a couple of years back in May/June and it was clear that the roots had rotted. Perhaps a soil fungus? Delayed effect of cold winter? Anyway, rolling the dice again!

HMHausman · « **Reply #19 on:** March 16, 2012, 08:21:25 AM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on March 14, 2012, 11:48:43 PM

Don't see anything that would keep breadfruit from flourishing there, except for the sudden arctic blasts. They don't mind limestone soil, grow great in coral atolls, and you have high enough temperature and humidity to keep it happy.
Oscar

Right........except for. There is a reason that all these Caribbean transports that call S. FL home, aren't growing their beloved breadfruit here. Its not from lack of trying. They are gorgeous trees and they get very large and very difficult to cover. They die back very quickly at the first sign of any signifcant chill, nevermnd a full blown freeze. So yes, if we dispensed with our normal winter, these would be quite easy to grow and everyone would have them.

Harry

fruitlovers · « **Reply #20 on:** March 16, 2012, 06:56:21 PM »

Quote from: Fruitguy on March 16, 2012, 07:58:48 AM

Quote from: fruitlovers on March 14, 2012, 11:48:43 PM
Don't see anything that would keep breadfruit from flourishing there, except for the sudden arctic blasts. They don't mind limestone soil, grow great in coral atolls, and you have high enough temperature and humidity to keep it happy.
Oscar

I didn't take it in quick enough (in hindsight) before the temps dropped to the upper 40s (brrrr) for a few hours this winter and it nearly defoliated. I had one expire a couple of years back in May/June and it was clear that the roots had rotted. Perhaps a soil fungus? Delayed effect of cold winter? Anyway, rolling the dice again!

Breadfruit makes a great house plant. So why not overwinter it in a pot before planting it out in spring? Yes stressing them with cold when they are that tiny really stresses the plant out. It's like leaving your baby out in the cold a few nights and then expecting them to grow up to be normal adults?

Oscar

fruitlovers · « **Reply #21 on:** March 16, 2012, 07:01:03 PM »

Quote from: HMHausman on March 16, 2012, 08:21:25 AM

Quote from: fruitlovers on March 14, 2012, 11:48:43 PM
Don't see anything that would keep breadfruit from flourishing there, except for the sudden arctic blasts. They don't mind limestone soil, grow great in coral atolls, and you have high enough temperature and humidity to keep it happy.
Oscar

Right........except for. There is a reason that all these Caribbean transports that call S. FL home, aren't growing their beloved breadfruit here. Its not from lack of trying. They are gorgeous trees and they get very large and very difficult to cover. They die back very quickly at the first sign of any signifcant chill, nevermnd a full blown freeze. So yes, if we dispensed with our normal winter, these would be quite easy to grow and everyone would have them.

Harry

I've heard that quite a few of those Caribbean exports have grown breadfruit succesfully in Southern Florida. But they do protect their trees over winter! One method of protection never mentioned is the use of a soil heating cable. Personally that is what i would do in addition to the blankets, because long periods of cold soil is just as bad as a sudden freeze for a breadfruit. But probably this is much more of a problem in California than in Florida. Perhaps cold soil a serious problem in Central and northern Florida?
Oscar

FloridaGreenMan · « **Reply #22 on:** March 16, 2012, 08:16:16 PM »

Quote from: fruitlovers on March 14, 2012, 12:38:31 AM

Warren, are you sure that is really breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and not breadnut (Artocarpus camansi)? Where in PR did you get it? Unfortunately a lot of the folks in PR don't seem to get that there is a BIG difference and call both of them breadfruit. But both are very different fruts. The leaves on your plant look to me like camansi. The good news is that camansi is easier to grow i think.
Oscar

Oscar
I lived in Puerto Rico for years and seedless Breadfruit is always called "Panapen" or "Pana". Seeded breadfruit is called "Pana de Pepitas". which means Breadfruit with seeds. I have never heard anyone call seeded breadfruit as "panapen". This fruit is very popular all over the island and people know the difference. Islanders mostly eat unseeded breadfruit and the unpopular seeded one is mostly fed to animals!

Warren, if it said "Panapen" on the label, I would bet that it is Artocarpus altilis but there is no 100% guarantee. I can ask the folks at Eneida for you!
NR

BluePalm · « **Reply #23 on:** March 16, 2012, 08:28:43 PM »

Fruitguy, congrats on the impulse buy. They are beautiful trees. I was astounded at the beautiful towering ones when I visited Jamaica. I hope it survives!

FloridaGreenMan · « **Reply #24 on:** March 16, 2012, 09:16:13 PM »

Over the years there have been many isolated fruiting breadfruits all over the Miami area. With our huge Caribbean immigrant population, I have seen large breadfruit trees in yards throughout Dade and Broward counties but all it takes is a few nights of temps in the 40s to make these "cold weaklings" drop every leaf. As Harry mentioned, it takes a few years of mild winters which we have regularly gotten over the past 30 years. I wrote an article in the RFCI magazoine back in the early 90s about a friend of mine who fruited A. altilis outdoors in Kendall (a suburb of Miami) and not a particularly warm place. His tree grew to over 30 feet tall and I personally saw it loaded with large fruits. I will send you fotos later on since they were taken with a very ancient photography method called "film" and I have to scan them! The fotos show Miami grown breadfruit from the yard of the legendary Bill Whitman. His trees produced plentiful breadfruit outdoors!
I wish you the best with your "Panapen"

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Author Topic: My Breadfruit (Read 16622 times)