Jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is an evergreen perennial fruit plant in the Moraceae family, native to Western Ghats of India. It grows 8–20 m (26–66 ft) tall and 6–12 m (20–39 ft) wide, wants full sun and moderate water, and is hardy to about 1 °C (34 °F). Space plants about 10 m (33 ft) apart.
Plan Jackfruit in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Jackfruit at a glance
| Type | Perennial fruit plant, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Moraceae |
| Mature height | 8–20 m (26–66 ft) |
| Mature spread | 6–12 m (20–39 ft) |
| Spacing | 10 m (33 ft) centre to centre |
| Sun | Full sun, at least 6 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | Moderate; drought tolerance low, waterlogging tolerance none |
| Soil pH | 5–7.5 |
| Cold hardiness | About 1 °C (34 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 10) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 40 °C (104 °F) |
| Flowering | from about January for 4–9 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones) |
| Wind tolerance | Low |
| Pollinator value | Low |
| Edible | Yes: ripe fruit, unripe fruit (cooked), seeds (cooked) |
| Native to | Western Ghats of India |
| Common in gardens of | 🇮🇳 India, 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇲🇾 Malaysia, 🇮🇩 Indonesia, 🇵🇭 Philippines, 🇻🇳 Vietnam, 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Is Jackfruit toxic?
- People: not known to be toxic
- Cats: not known to be toxic
- Dogs: not known to be toxic
Latex is sticky; no toxicity reported.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Jackfruit
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and moderate water.
Questions about Jackfruit
- How far apart should I plant Jackfruit?
- About 10 m (33 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 6–12 m (20–39 ft).
- Does Jackfruit need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Jackfruit need?
- Moderate water. Drought tolerance is low and waterlogging tolerance none.
- How cold-hardy is Jackfruit?
- It tolerates about 1 °C (34 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 10.
- When does Jackfruit flower?
- From about January for 4–9 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones).
- Is Jackfruit poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not known to be toxic; for dogs not known to be toxic; for people not known to be toxic. Latex is sticky; no toxicity reported.
- What grows well with Jackfruit?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Jackfruit. Group it with plants that like the same sun (full sun) and water (moderate).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade B (B: extension service or peer-reviewed).
- UF/IFAS Extension tropical and subtropical fruit and landscape publications, University of Florida
- Plants of the World Online (taxonomy, native range), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
- India Biodiversity Portal (species pages), India Biodiversity Portal
Notes and assumptions
- The largest tree-borne fruit (up to about 50 kg), borne on the trunk and main branches; national fruit of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Common fig Ficus carica
- White mulberry Morus alba
- Rubber fig Ficus elastica
- Chinese banyan Ficus microcarpa
- Sacred fig (peepal, bodhi tree) Ficus religiosa
- Indian banyan Ficus benghalensis
- Sycamore fig Ficus sycomorus
- Moreton Bay fig Ficus macrophylla