Breadnut is one of the quieter members of our growing Artocarpus collection, one I haven’t gotten a dedicated story out of yet.
The Basics
Breadnut, Artocarpus camansi, is closely related to breadfruit and jackfruit, all in the same Moraceae genus.
Origin and Habitat
Native to New Guinea and the Maluku Islands, spread through the Pacific much like its more famous relative, breadfruit.
What It Looks Like
Similar in general form to breadfruit, but instead of the starchy pulp breadfruit is known for, breadnut produces large edible seeds inside a spiny fruit.
Uses and Flavor
The seeds get boiled or roasted, similar to chestnuts, rather than eaten as a starchy fruit the way breadfruit is.
Growing It Here
This one went in early as part of a deliberate push to plant through the whole Artocarpus family, breadfruit, jackfruit, pedalai, marang, chempedak, and this one, all within the same stretch of the project. The tree itself is now over 30 feet tall, though it’s grown as a single trunk with just a little bit of leaf cover up at the top. It is producing fruit though. I’m considering lopping the trunk down to about 15 feet so it branches out lower, which I think is the better long term practice for a breadnut growing this way.
Pests and Diseases to Watch For
Nothing specific to report yet, same general fruit fly risk as the rest of its relatives.
Kenta’s Take
This is one where the story used to be about the whole Artocarpus family rather than this tree specifically. Now that it’s tall, single trunked, and actually fruiting, it’s earned a chapter of its own, even if that chapter currently ends with me planning to cut it back hard.