How to grow Jackfruit
Updated October 2026
Jackfruit is a large tropical tree with huge fruit, often 10 to 60 pounds each. In the US it is grown mainly in coastal South Florida and Hawaii, and it needs warmth, full sun, good drainage and room or regular pruning.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Jackfruit
Where to plant
Jackfruit grows best where it stays warm all year. In Florida it does well in coastal South Florida, where freezes are only occasional. Leaves are damaged at 32°F, branches at 30°F, and whole trees can be killed at 28°F.
Plant in full sun in the warmest part of the garden, well away from buildings, power lines and other trees. Good drainage is essential: trees can decline or die after only 2 to 3 days in wet soil. Where the water table is high, UF/IFAS suggests a mound of native soil 2 to 3 feet high and 4 to 10 feet across.
- South Florida and Hawaii: grow outdoors. South Florida plantings can go in at any time if you can water them.
- Central and North Florida, the Gulf South, Texas, California and the desert: jackfruit needs USDA zone 10b or warmer outdoors. Grow it in a large container you can move under cover, or skip it.
- Colder regions: only in a heated greenhouse.
Choosing a variety
UF/IFAS has evaluated a number of named varieties in South Florida, such as 'Black Gold', 'Gold Nugget' and 'NS-1', which differ in fruit size, flesh color and flavor. Buy a grafted tree of a known variety where you can. Seedlings can fruit early but vary in quality.
How to plant
- Choose a healthy tree that is not pot bound. Jackfruit hates root restriction, and larger trees 2 to 4 feet tall establish faster than small ones.
- Clear a ring of grass 3 to 10 feet across. Dig a hole 3 to 4 times wider and 3 times deeper than the pot; in sandy soil no compost or fertilizer is needed in the hole.
- Set the tree so the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the soil, backfill with native soil and water in straight away.
- Mulch 2 to 6 inches deep, keeping mulch 8 to 12 inches from the trunk.
Watering and feeding
Water newly planted and young trees regularly during dry spells. Mature trees are moderately drought tolerant, but water them in dry periods from flowering through fruit development, when it matters most. Avoid lawn sprinklers on timers near the tree; frequent overwatering causes root rot.
After planting, once new growth starts, give about 1/4 pound of a balanced fertilizer with minor elements, repeating every 8 weeks in the first year and increasing gradually as the tree grows. Mature trees need feeding 2 to 3 times from bloom to just after harvest. On alkaline soils, trees usually need iron chelate.
Pruning and care through the year
- Tip prune young trees once or twice in spring and summer to make them branch. In the second season, cut the leader back to the first side branch to slow upward growth.
- Each year after harvest, remove vigorous upright shoots, old flowering shoots and some inner limbs. Regular pruning can hold trees at 8 to 14 feet.
- Let a young tree carry only one fruit per main limb, as heavy loads can damage or kill limbs.
Harvesting
The main season in Florida is summer and fall. Jackfruit is hard to judge: look for the skin turning light green or yellowish brown, the spines flattening and widening, a strong aroma and a hollow sound when tapped. Green fruit 1 to 3 months old can be picked to cook as a vegetable.
Cut fruit with loppers and wear gloves. The stem oozes a white, sticky latex that permanently stains clothes, so stand the fruit on its side in the shade until it stops. Mature fruit ripens in 3 to 10 days at 75 to 80°F. Oil your hands and knife before cutting it open.
Companion planting
Jackfruit becomes a large, shading tree with roots that spread past the canopy. Keep lawn and heavy lawn fertilizer away from it.
Good companions
- Tropical fruit trees Plant at a distance of 20 feet or more; they suit the same warm, frost-free sites.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to jackfruit.
- Lawn and weeds Grass competes with young trees, and lawn feeding and frequent sprinklers can reduce fruiting and rot the roots.
Pests and diseases
Jackfruit has few disease problems in South Florida. Most trouble comes from wet soil.
Pests to watch for
- Borers Wood-boring beetles tunneling into wounded or dead wood on the trunk and branches.
- Scale Scales and mealybugs on stems and fruit, with sticky honeydew.
Diseases to watch for
Common questions
How do I know when a jackfruit is ripe?
Look for the skin changing from green to light green or yellowish brown, the spines flattening and spreading, a strong fruity smell and a hollow sound when tapped. Picked mature fruit then ripens in 3 to 10 days at 75 to 80°F.
How do I deal with jackfruit sap?
Jackfruit is full of white, sticky latex that stains clothes permanently. Wear gloves, let cut fruit drip in the shade until the flow stops, and coat your hands, knife blade and board with vegetable oil before cutting.
How long until a jackfruit tree fruits?
Seedling trees can start fruiting in their third or fourth year. Grafted trees of named varieties are preferred for known fruit quality.
Can I grow jackfruit outside South Florida?
Only in very warm, nearly frost-free places such as Hawaii. Trees can be killed at 28°F, so elsewhere it needs a large container moved under cover, or a heated greenhouse.
Can I eat green jackfruit?
Yes. Young green fruit, 1 to 3 months old, is cooked as a vegetable. Ripe fruit is eaten fresh.
How big does a jackfruit tree get?
Unpruned trees reach 30 to 40 feet in Florida. Selective pruning after each harvest can keep a tree at about 8 to 14 feet.
Sources we checked: UF/IFAS EDIS: Jackfruit Growing in the Florida Home Landscape (HS882/MG370).
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