English / Common name- Breadfruit
Local name- Kannada - ದೀವಿ ಹಲಸು
Tulu -ಜಿಗುಜ್ಜೆ
Botanical name- Artocarpus altilis
Appearance- Breadfruit trees grow to a height of 26 m (85 ft). The fruit is seedless and light green in color. It is hard and raw when uncooked and becomes soft and mushy after it is cooked. The leaves are large and thick.
Origin- The breadfruit is believed to be native to a vast area extending from New Guinea through the Indo-Malayan Archipelago to western Micronesia. It is said to have been widely spread in the Pacific area by migrating Polynesians, and Hawaiians believed that it was brought from the Samoan island of Upolu to Oahu in the 12th Century A.D. It is said to have been first seen by Europeans in the Marquesas in 1595, then in Tahiti in 1606.
Conditions required for growth- It requires a temperature range of 15.56° to 37.78°C, annual rainfall of 203 to 254 cm, and relative humidity of 70 to 80%. However, in southern India, it is cultivated at sea level and up humid slopes to an altitude of 3,500 ft (1,065 m), also in thickets in dry regions where it can be irrigated. The breadfruit tree must have deep, fertile, well-drained soil.
Common remedies -
- To lower blood sugar levels (Part of the tree used -Leaves ): The leaves are boiled in water (Cumin may be added to enhance the flavor) to make a concoction. This is then consumed. Regular consumption of this concoction is believed to reduce the severity of blood sugar levels.
