The 'Ulu Breadfruit | Hawaiian Plant Life
Go back

Ulu (Breadfruit)

ʻUlu

Common name: Breadfruit 

Scientific name: Artocarpus altilis 

Where to Find: 1000 – 2000 feet in both dry and wet environments.

Status: Indigenous

Breadfruit was one of the two foods that could replace Kalo as a staple food in certain areas of Hawai’i.  It was prepared the same way as Kalo, cooked and cubed or pounded into a poi ‘ulu. 

‘Ulu is a complex carbohydrate and a good source of calcium and vitamins.  This plant is a part of the fig family and can be grown with little attention or care, but will produce an abundance of food.  A single tree can produce roughly 100 fruits per year (about 200 pounds of nutritious food). 

Did You Know?
Throughout the world, there are upwards of 200 varieties of 'ulu identified in tropical environments.