Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How can I get breadfruit shipped from Hawaii?

It is very difficult to ship fresh breadfruit, as it has a short shelf life and strict USDA plant quarantine restrictions. The USDA does not allow fresh breadfruit to be shipped from Hawaii to the continental USA because of fruit flies in the state. All fruit must first be treated with irradiation and a fungicide dip. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fs-ship-mail-from-hawaii.pdf

Q. How can I order breadfruit flour, produce, or products?

Since large numbers of micro-propagated breadfruit trees became available to purchase in 2009, commercial orchards have been planted throughout the tropics for food security and economic opportunity. These young trees are producing their first harvests, causing the availability of fruit for production to increase with time. As more sources of fruit are identified, the prospects of getting breadfruit products into the hands of consumers increase as well. With greater resources and improvements in food technology, the possibilities for new, value-added breadfruit products are endless.

Q. Are there breadfruit products and if so, why are they not on the market?

Value-added products are continually being developed in local economies, but the limitations to supply and demand and international permitting has not allowed breadfruit to become readily available in the international market.

If you can find fresh breadfruit in local markets or order it from produce exporters, it will come from the Caribbean. You may have an easier time ordering frozen cooked fruit or flour. You can easily do an Internet search for breadfruit products (fruit, frozen fruit, flour, etc.) to see what is available. Please also keep in mind that breadfruit is a seasonal crop, so if a supplier has breadfruit now, they may not have any at another time of year. The search results change often with supply and demand.

Q. How do I get breadfruit supply information?

The Breadfruit Institute does not have this information available at this time. The supply of breadfruit is constantly changing around the world, depending upon the country and time of year.

Q. Where can I buy breadfruit trees?

First, check with your local nursery to see if breadfruit trees are currently in stock or can be specially ordered. If they are unavailable at nearby nurseries, please feel free to email breadfruitinstitute@ntbg.org, so we can connect you with providing partners. For large bulk orders, Tissue Grown Corporation offers state-of-the-art clonal in vitro propagation services of breadfruit plantlets. Visit their website at https://tissuegrown.com for national and international ordering information.

Q. Is it possible to plant breadfruit trees in California, Arizona, Texas, or other states?

Breadfruit trees thrive in the humid tropics, and aren’t likely to survive if temperatures go below 50° F (10°C) for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, the only place in the continental USA where they can survive outdoors is in lower Florida Keys and areas of south Florida. Breadfruit is a TRUE tropical species, and there are no varieties that are cold tolerant. Established, mature trees as far north as Miami can be seriously damaged or killed by winter cold snaps.

Before you plant or purchase a tree, we also suggest checking out the Tree Planting Guide on our website at https://ntbg.org/sites/default/files/generaluploads/How_to_Plant_a_Tree_of_Life2.pdf

Q. Can I buy breadfruit trees from your organization and which varieties can I get?

We are a research and plant conservation institute and not a commercial nursery, so we do not sell or ship plants. Research is underway to develop necessary micropropagation methods to make several varieties available. Our partners at Tissue Grown Corporation have great experience shipping, and that is usually the most economical way to get a large number of plants. Refer to their website before ordering and planting. https://tissuegrown.com

Our website is a great resource, with tree planting guides and information about dozens of varieties. Please see https://ntbg.org/breadfruit/resources/

We also post the latest news, information, articles, photos and recipes on the institute’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BreadfruitInstitute.

Q. Is it possible to get breadfruit seeds from the Breadfruit Institute?

The Breadfruit Institute does not provide trees or propagating material directly, but works with a private horticultural company, Tissue Grown Corporation, to make selected varieties from our collection available. They ship rooted plantlets in soil-free media. https://tissuegrown.com

Q. I live in Hawaii and would like to get a free tree from your organization. Do you still have the tree give-away program?

NTBG is currently managing a project called Grow Aloha, which is a group of plant adoption partners working together to restore Hawaiian plants and our relationships with them. There are monthly plant adoptions throughout the State of Hawaii on most islands (Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, & Hawaiʻi Island). Look at the schedule and background on the program on their website, growaloha.org.

Our three-year grant-funded Plant a Tree of Life (PATOL) project ended in 2015. The project distributed more than 10,000 trees statewide in partnership with more than 200 organizations. The trees for PATOL and other tree planting projects were propagated in tissue culture through a commercial horticultural partner, Global Breadfruit, and shipped as plugs in soil-free media. We are currently assessing the impact of the PATOL project and asking tree recipients to fill out a brief survey to let us know if your tree(s) was planted and how it is doing. If you received a tree from this program, please take a few minutes to fill out our survey to help further our research in tree care and distribution: https://ntbg.wufoo.com/forms/r1295jn01q5qihv/

Many local nurseries have breadfruit trees available for purchase. We call around every few months to see what’s for sale, and are usually pleasantly surprised at the amount of varieties available. Start calling the nurseries closest to you, and work your way out.

Q. What are the best growing conditions for a breadfruit tree in Hawaii?

Our observations and reports from people in Hawaii suggest that about 2,000 ft. is the elevation limit for breadfruit. Breadfruit trees thrive in the humid tropics, and aren’t likely to survive if temperatures go below 50° F (10° C) for extended periods. Even in historical records, breadfruit has never been planted that high up on a mountain. You can always try, especially if you think there is an area of your land with a suitable micro-climate.

If the climate is too cold to grow a tree, you can always make a donation to have a tree planted in a tropical country at https://ntbg.org/breadfruit/donate.

We usually recommend that people at higher elevations grow figs, citrus, avocado, and other fruit trees then trade with your neighbors further down the mountain.

Q. Is there a dwarf variety of breadfruit tree to plant in my yard?

There are no dwarf varieties of breadfruit. The variety Ma’afala has been incorrectly called “dwarf” because it’s a more compact tree, meaning with proper pruning it can have a more round shape, as opposed to tall and sprawling, making it better for urban areas (yards, private and community gardens). Left unattended, however, it can grow quite tall and pose a threat to power lines in neighborhoods. Ma’afala has been the most widely distributed tree by the Breadfruit Institute since 2012. It was the first variety to be micropropagated and widely distributed worldwide.

Q. What is the policy on traditional grafting or vegetative propagation of your trees?

We are not directly involved in the distribution of breadfruit varieties from our collection. You will need to contact our horticultural partner, Tissue Grown Corporation (https://tissuegrown.com), which has the license to propagate and sell selected varieties. You would be purchasing trees directly from them. Once you purchase and receive trees, it is your prerogative to manage them as you see fit.

However, as part of our agreement, we receive a per plant royalty for each plant sold, which helps support the work of the institute, which is part of NTBG, a non-profit institution. We share that royalty 50:50 with the country of origin of the varieties that are sold. This recognizes these countries’ indigenous breadfruit varieties and their contribution to breadfruit tree planting projects around the world.

Q. How does my church start a breadfruit project?

Breadfruit tree planting projects are certainly suited for church mission projects. This can be done in two ways: 1) church groups raise and donate funds to purchase trees for some of our project partners, such as in Liberia; and 2) purchase and deliver trees to projects that a church is affiliated with in a country with suitable conditions for growing breadfruit.

Q. How do I inquire about my country/organization starting a breadfruit project?

We’re delighted to hear that you would like to start a breadfruit project. Please allow us to explain how many of our previous projects have been coordinated. We have sent breadfruit trees to other countries, and each one requires different permits to bring in the trees. You would need to obtain the necessary permits from your government. Shipping costs can be high and deliveries unreliable.

Once the trees arrive safely in the country, they must be cared for in a nursery setting for 16 weeks–sometimes several months longer in arid climates. This requires not only a shaded nursery to house them, but soil, pots, fertilizer, and water. When the trees have sufficient roots, they can then be planted.

We update our Facebook page daily with the most current projects and information about breadfruit, and you may find it very helpful https://www.facebook.com/BreadfruitInstitute.

Q. MEDIA REQUESTS

For media inquiries about the Breadfruit Institute, please send an email to breadfruitinstitute@ntbg.org and provide your name, organization, and type of media request.