The Many Uses of Ulu (Bread Fruit)

[JayJay]

I have several species but I think my favorite is the Samoan. Medium size fruit on a fast growing stout tree which after about five years starts serious production and then It just keeps comming and we seem to find more and more uses for this wonderful tree.

This is a plant which should be in every Hawaiian garden. Place them on the property line in a sunny location. After the tree has matured there is no need to weed beneath since the dropping leaves and shade produced by the tree preclude any weed developement. It's really the perfect tree and for anyoe who is looking for a way to make x-tra money the plants command a high price and are simply dug up from the base of the parent tree and placed in a gallon pot and allowed to grow for a year at which time they are ready for market. Frankly I'm wondering why no one to my knowledge has planted an acre or more of these trees and become the "ulu king" of the big island since my six trees produce at least twenty volunteers per year so someone might want to do the math per acre based on a commercial rate. And of course they're always in demand.

So this is the first use of the plant. Helping to get this versitile tree out into the hands of the public so that we can have more available basic carbohydrates available to the general population without having to rely so much on Malamalama Market etc., and at the same time ... creating a lucrative industry which in my estimation is just waiting to happen.

JayJay

Edited by - JayJay on 11/15/2007 08:57:09

[Kapohocat]

quote:

---

...This is a plant which should be in every Hawaiian garden...

---

Most locals do have a breadfruit or has knows someone who gives them lots. It has been abundant so many years that I didnt even know the super markets sold them. its always kinda been like avos and mangos in the summer. Didnt know you ever had to buy them.

Here are some recipes:
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?q=breadfruit



The Hawaiian quilters even have a very recognizable breadfruit pattern.

[janeadams]

I can't resist... there's a whole botanical garden in Hana (Maui) that's mostly devoted to breadfruit species from all over the Pacific.

There used to be a saying that a breadfruit tree would feed a family for a year.

jane

[JayJay]

Mahalo cat for the url for ulu. Ulu are very scial plants jane ... it's hard to explain ... they are like people in a way and have a vibration. each time I have a volunteer come up it's transplanted into a one gallon pot and then sits for a year and gos out into the community. I can't bare to sell them, they're like my little kids and I'm compelled to send them on their way and I even worry about them once they are gone. Very tender plants too and must be transplanted very carefully and best done in the winter when it's cool. I have sever trees right now which are just 'dripping' ulu onto the ground and the fruit quickly decomposes and starts the cycle again. Today I baked a loaf of ulu bread which I adore and I'm getting a culture of sour dough ready to bake sour dough ulu bread for Thanksgiving. I'll add the recepe for it to this thread later for anyone who wants to try it.

JayJay

[canhle]

JayJay,
I enjoyed very much your sharing on your gardening experience. Thanks

canhle

[janeadams]

jayJay,

thanks for the hint about its sensitivity to transplanting. Perhaps that's what killed the small one we planted. We're definitely lookin for another, and I would be very glad to try out the recipes. The first time we were given one, I sure didn't know what to do with it!

Jane

[wyatt]

We make Ulu fries and Ulu garlic mashed(in place of mashed potatoes). Yum.

Wyatt