Dzhekfrut or Indian breadfruit tree - plant mulberry family, close Rudi breadfruit tree. Dzhekfrut - an evergreen tree reaching a height of 20 m. The leaves are oblong, oval or elliptic, 10-15 cm long, curvaceous, glossy, dark green. Young leaves are lobed. Monocots tree. Male and female flowers are nondescript, collected in the same inflorescence. Male flowers - on the thin branch, often among the foliage. Female flowers are larger, the thick solid pedicel, which grow on the trunk, at the base of the lower branches or from the ground at the foot of the tree. The point is that in contrast to the breadfruit, with its massive branches, branches from dzhekfruta fairly thin and brittle, and the fruits are formed where the trunk is strong. Wood dzhekfruta beautiful and majestic. In the tropics it grows to enormous size as a large eastern oak. Flowers pollinate by wind and insects. In the culture dzhekfrut often pollinate by hand. Fruits for 3-8 months. All parts of the tree contain sticky, white latex.
Fruits
The fruit (stem) dzhekfruta - the largest edible fruit growing on trees: a length of 20-90 cm and a diameter of 20 cm, they weigh up to 34 kg. Their thick skin is covered with numerous conical projections. Young green fruit, with ripe become greenish-yellow or brownish-yellow, and when tapping produce hollow sound (immature fruit - blank). Inside each fruit is divided into large proportion of which contains a sweet yellow flesh, consisting of juicy slippery fibers. Each percentage is on the long light-brown seed of a length of 2-4 cm in a single fruit can be up to 500 seeds. Skin and seeds of mature fruit produce a strong unpleasant smell, resembling the smell of rotten onions, while the flesh smells pleasant, like banana and pineapple. Since all parts of plants, including the skin, contain a sticky latex, therefore, advised to carve fruit, sunflower oil, grease your hands or put on rubber gloves. Overripe fruit becomes brown and spoil quickly, but in the fridge can be stored 1-2 months. There are two main varieties. One of them the fruit of a small, flesh fibrous, soft, porous, but very sweet, the texture somewhat similar to the raw oysters. In other varieties the flesh more dense, crunchy, although not as sweet. This variety is more important commercially, and to the Western taste, more delicious. Seeds from 2 to 2,5-4 cm long and from 1.25 to 2 cm thick, white, and quite fragile. In one of their fruit can be from 100 to 500 pieces. Their germination remains no more than 3-4 days.
Distribution
Homeland dzhekfruta consider India (Eastern Gay) and Bangladesh, and now it is most prevalent in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Is it landing in the eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda). The islands of Oceania and the New World tropics, in addition to the north of Brazil and Suriname, dzhekfrut is quite rare.
In South India dzhekfrut to compare the incidence of mango and banana. The area of plantations is estimated at 26 000 ha. In Sri Lanka (4 452 ha) are grown primarily for its timber. Widely cultivated in Thailand. In general, dzhekfrut because of the odor «waste» nerving on the popularity of the fruits of breadfruit tree.
Indoor cultivation.
Dzhekfrut-fastest growing tree is very large, requiring large volumes of soil. Even a large tub to be small for its root system, so in terms of indoor cultivation of a few years experience. Although there are no data that dzhekfrut grown as culture, I think that is because no one seriously, and not tried.
Dzhekfrut prefers well-drained, protected from frost, sunny and warm place. Likes rich, mild or on the composition of the soil. The quicker to get to grow tropical plants, the more he will likely survive. Tree needs very good drainage, it makes no stagnant water. The tree does not make a drought. Most water in the warm months. During the cooling reduce watering.
Dzhekfruta fertilizer requirements are unknown, but the frequent feeding weak universal fertilizer will accelerate the growth of plants without causing injury. In regions where it is usually grown, he has successfully grown without much care from man. The only requirement - copious watering.
Although adult trees carry small frost 0 Plus 3 oC, sensible young plants have on the southern windows. Small plants should provide full protection from the draft with the help of a mini- and if possible, lamp.
Reproduce normally seeds, which can not be stored for more than a month before planting. Sprout from 3 to 8 weeks. Seedlings transplanted when there is not more than 4 leaves. Seedling grown more difficult to successfully transplant without damaging long fragile roots.
