Durians?

[bubba]

This fruit is great but is commonly grown in Borneo and Tenasserim(Burma's Southern most province).Sadly,they fail in Burma proper at 16N Lat.

Durians were attempted by the USDA four times between 1927 and 1942 in South Florida unsucessfully.A private organization based in Florida,with members also in other countries,initiated efforts to introduce improved cultivars of Durian from SE Asia.If not Fl,atleast somewhere in the Western hemisphere.

[aussiearoids]

I have about 4 species growing and a few select cultivars . I am lucky to live where this delicous fruit will grow easily .

Planting a Durio dulcis today , and also have D.graveolens , oblangus .

Mong-thong , and Kan-yao are supposedly some of the best Thai selections . Mate just bought a few grafted Red-prawns at $75 ea. Local growers have many thousands of trees planted and this area will be one of the largest producers in Australia

[SubTropicRay]

Bubba,

Durian is quite possibly even more cold tender than Breadfruit . Fairchild is growing them inside the William Whitman fruit pavilion.

The custard looking fruit is as sweet as ice cream.

Ray

[bgl]

Will make sure Garrin sees his thread. He has a number of durian trees, some of which are fruiting. He gave me a tree about 9-10 years ago, and it's getting up in size. Maybe 20 ft tall or so, but I guess still not mature, because no fruit yet. Hopefully soon!

[_Keith]

I am almost finished with "The Fruit Hunters" book, which had a near hillarious chapter on Durians.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Awesome book! Made me want to eat Lodoicea!

This is one fruit I would grow if I lived in HI...

[_Keith]

Awesome book! Made me want to eat Lodoicea!

This is one fruit I would grow if I lived in HI...

That book was somewhat life changing. Some parts I hope were journalistic exaggeration. Definitely gave me a stronger distaste for corporate agriculture.

[garrin]

Aloha from Garrin,

Yes indeed durians grow very well here in East Hawaii! There are more and more commercial orchards north and south of Hilo because of the high prices they still fetch, and there are no restrictions to exporting to the mainland because their hard rind is impervious to insect attack One reason I moved to this area was because I could grow coconuts AND durians. I have fruiting very good seedling trees as well as grafted varieties. My best is referred to with a slightly different spelling above; mine came as 'Guan Yao'. It is a prolific bearer, the fruits are exceptionally delicious, and last fall it produced nearly three hundred fruits which were eagerly bought up by a local retailer at the Hilo farmers' market, and buyers couldn't get enough of them! Of course I ate of them also untill I was bloated. The main thing here especiaally in my rocky soil is that they always have a good mulch layer below, but never up to the trunk (the best place for my discarded palm fronds). With all the varieties available here now there is hardly a month when they are not available at our farmers' market.

I hope no one is ever so put off by the odor that you won't try a (good variety) one. They are like creme brulee with a light pineapple, cherimoya, banana flavor. Also HINTS of cheddar cheese and onions which seems to put people off from their odor. Once you have tasted a good one even the so-called bad odor will cause mouth watering!

Garrin

[gavilan1]

I bought a six pound durian in a small store in nearby Little Saigon (at about $6.50 a pound) a couple of summers ago, and although the consistency was close to custard and cherimoya, the aroma of this particular fruit, after I opened it, had a predominating note (and flavor) of diesel and/or kerosene. I may be confusing my quotations, but I have heard it said about durian that "once you get past the smell, you've got it licked". The trick is not to breath in while eating it (I was told, but it didn't work too well for me). I heard that Andrew Zimmern of the Travel Channel's "Bizarre Foods" program, gagged on this one in Thailand, and I have seen him eat much worse, so I gave it a go, and became fond of it. My son couldn't stomach it, and my wife and daughter were away in South America, so I froze the rest for later use. When they got back, they mentioned to me one day that something had spoiled ("really bad smell") in the freezer and they had to throw it out. They did not know what it was, but there was about four pounds of it! $26 of my creamy delicacy, outside in the trash can. I have since found a Viet supermarket in nearby Westminster that has loads of durian, breadfruit, and other weapon-like fruit, but my wife strongly discourages my adventurous fruit purchases nowadays, after learning what it was that she disposed of (and recalling the smell).

[ariscott]

I have about 4 species growing and a few select cultivars . I am lucky to live where this delicous fruit will grow easily .

Planting a Durio dulcis today , and also have D.graveolens , oblangus .

Mong-thong , and Kan-yao are supposedly some of the best Thai selections . Mate just bought a few grafted Red-prawns at $75 ea. Local growers have many thousands of trees planted and this area will be one of the largest producers in Australia

Cool Michael... I have to get some next time I am in Cairns. Are they grown from seeds or grafted? I got Kan-yao growing, but from seeds. IMO, it is better than Mon-thong. Have you tasted the Red-prawns? BTW, where do you plant yours? Do they need shade when young?

Regards, Ari

[DoomsDave]

Yeah, Durian, is amazing.

It is good, once you get past the diesel . . . .

[Urban Rainforest]

I'm one of those sick puppies that like the smell and love the taste of Durian . You can buy them here in San Diego along with Jackfruits from Asian markets but they are quite expensive. Here is my 5 ft. Durian tree I planted at our place in Leilani. I got it for $22 at the farmers market.

Stevo

[Urban Rainforest]

Here is a Durian being skillfully sliced open by the hands of the grand master Durian carver himself... Bo I think Bo and I ate the whole thing...no other takers .

Stevo