Article on history of breadfruit

[JoeP450]

http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/AgNatRes/Pubs/The_breadfruit_story.pdf Interesting article, anyone growing this in FL ?

-joep450

[wayne23]

I never knew what breadfruit was until my recent trip to hawaii.  on the big island you can see them grown everywhere.  i had couple dishes cooked with breadfruit.  the tempura was the most delicious and memorable 'tempura vegetable' dish i've ever encountered.

[fruitlovers]

It's interesting to note that none of the different versions of the Mutiny on the Bounty movies ever mention anything about the goal of bringing breadfruit to Jamaica. I guess it just kind shows that any mention of anything having to do with plants is considered taboo for Hollywood adventure movies?
Some members have posted in past about their fruiting breadfruit in Florida. It's possible, but difficult as breadfruit cannot stand those periodic arctic freezes Florida experiences.

[Mike T]

The minimum tolerable temperature for breadfruit published in Australia in the 1980's was 8c for winter minimums but it is really 3c or 4c and In Australia on the east coast it correlated to about 18.5 latitude. Its cold tolerance is about the same as mangosteen and many commercial varieties of durian.

[tropicbreeze]

This is from the Breadfruit Institute. They don't mention humidity which I think is also an important factor.

Growing Conditions

Breadfruit has a wide range of adaptability to ecological conditions. It grows best in equatorial lowlands below 600-650 m but is found at elevations up to 1550 m. It flourishes at 21-32° C and does not yield well where the temperature exceeds 40° or drops to 5° C. Below 5° C, the trees begin to show signs of cold damage—browning, curling and drying leaves that will die and fall from the tree. The latitudinal limits are approximately 17° N and S; maritime climates extend that range to the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Optimum annual rainfall is 1500-3000 mm, but trees can yield regularly on Pacific atolls that receive 1000 mm. Deep, fertile, well-drained soils are preferred although some varieties are adapted to the shallow sandy soils of coral atolls.

[Mike T]

They seem to grow really well in 4000mm/yr rain and some varieties like cool weather less than others.

[fruitlovers]

They seem to grow really well in 4000mm/yr rain and some varieties like cool weather less than others.

The breadfruit institute on Maui has over 100 varieties of breadfruit. No doubt some are going to be more cold hardy than others. I asked Diane Ragone (the director) that very question, and she only replied that they are working on that information still. They have a great collection but are really terrible at sharing it or sharing information, in my opinion.

[Future]

How can revolt be worse than starvation? (Sarcasm)

[pineislander]

They seem to grow really well in 4000mm/yr rain and some varieties like cool weather less than others.

The breadfruit institute on Maui has over 100 varieties of breadfruit. No doubt some are going to be more cold hardy than others. I asked Diane Ragone (the director) that very question, and she only replied that they are working on that information still. They have a great collection but are really terrible at sharing it or sharing information, in my opinion.

I was in Maui a few years ago. We went almost up to the volcano but couldn't make it all the way there because of snow, so they are an ideal test-site for cold tolerance. They should have figured out cold tolerance in Breadfruit on Maui a long time ago.

By the way there are operators who take you 20 miles up there and let you coast downhill for 20+ miles, climate changes from chilly coat and gloves to full on tropics near the beach. Fun Ride!

[fruitlovers]

They seem to grow really well in 4000mm/yr rain and some varieties like cool weather less than others.

The breadfruit institute on Maui has over 100 varieties of breadfruit. No doubt some are going to be more cold hardy than others. I asked Diane Ragone (the director) that very question, and she only replied that they are working on that information still. They have a great collection but are really terrible at sharing it or sharing information, in my opinion.

I was in Maui a few years ago. We went almost up to the volcano but couldn't make it all the way there because of snow, so they are an ideal test-site for cold tolerance. They should have figured out cold tolerance in Breadfruit on Maui a long time ago.

By the way there are operators who take you 20 miles up there and let you coast downhill for 20+ miles, climate changes from chilly coat and gloves to full on tropics near the beach. Fun Ride!

Should have, could have, but didn't? Or if they did they're not releasing the data? In all fairness, i think they're moestly interested in spreading breadfruit to poverty stricken areas, most of which are in the tropics, so not much interest in cold hardiness, i suppose.