Breadfruit

As I'm finishing up posts on the tropics, I thought I would mention several plants that caught my eye on these trips.  The first one is the breadfruit which I encountered in Panama this summer in the Bocas del Toro and Coiba region.  It was so odd looking and therefore caught my attention.  This fruit is known as breadfruit(Artocarpus altilis) and here's what I learned. 

It's from the mulberry family, Moraceae, and grows as a tree.....and a very large one at that! Its name is derived from the texture of the cooked fruit, which has a potato-like flavor, similar to fresh-baked bread.  A lot people report enjoying the flavor but state it doesn't have the typical sweet taste associated with fruits.  I had wanted to try this, but unfortuneatly it didn't happen.  These trees can grow to a height of 85 feet and indeed, they were very tall.  I found many of them growing near a water source and bending in a curve.

The leaves are gorgeous on this plant and make quite the statement in the tropical garden.  This tree can produce a yield of around 200 fruits per season.  I loved the look, but more importantly I am curious as to how they taste.  Perhaps someday I'll get a chance to do so:)  I have another plant coming up from the tropics that I thought was interesting in the next day or so.  More tomorrow....