Jackfruit Seed
Artocarpus heterophyllus • Moraceae
🌱 Seed Category
Fruit
🌍 Origin Region
Western Ghats of India, now widely cultivated in tropical regions across Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
📅 Days to Maturity
Trees grown from seed typically take 3 to 5 years to bear fruit. The harvest window for ripe fruit occurs primarily in the summer and fall months.
🌡️ Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 through 12, highly sensitive to frost and freezing temperatures.
About This Seed
The seed is large, oval to oblong, light brown to reddish-brown, encased in a thin white membrane when fresh, and has a hard, smooth outer coating. The resulting plant is a massive evergreen tree growing up to 20 meters tall, featuring large glossy green leaves, small inconspicuous flowers clustered on trunk and branches, and producing the largest tree-borne fruit in the world.
Growing Information
Growing Season
Spring and Summer in tropical/subtropical climates; start indoors or direct sow in warm soil, frost-intolerant.
Germination
Germination takes 14 to 30 days at optimal soil temperatures between 24-30 degrees Celsius. High germination rate for fresh seeds. Requires warm, moist soil and indirect light for germination; no special scarification needed if fresh.
Planting Instructions
Plant 1 to 2 inches deep with the hilum pointing downward or sideways. Space trees 25 to 30 feet apart. Prefers rich, deep, well-draining loamy soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (6-8 hours daily). Needs regular, moderate watering and ample moisture during the growing season, though established trees have moderate drought tolerance. Avoid waterlogged soils.
Companion Plants
Grows well with tropical understory crops, nitrogen-fixing trees, and fruit trees like banana, papaya, and mango. Avoid heavy root competitors close to the trunk.
Special Characteristics
Heat tolerant, highly productive, pest-resistant, produces massive edible starchy seeds and giant sweet, aromatic fruits. Popular vegan meat substitute when unripe.