Description Durian

juvenile durian tree in malaysia. mature species can grow 50 metres (160 feet)

durian trees large, growing 25–50 metres (82–164 ft) in height depending on species. leaves evergreen, elliptic oblong , 10–18 centimetres (3.9–7.1 inches) long. flowers produced in 3 thirty clusters on large branches , directly on trunk each flower having calyx (sepals) , 5 (rarely 4 or six) petals. durian trees have 1 or 2 flowering , fruiting periods per year, although timing varies depending on species, cultivars, , localities. typical durian tree can bear fruit after 4 or 5 years. durian fruit can hang branch, , matures 3 months after pollination. fruit can grow 30 centimetres (12 in) long , 15 centimetres (6 in) in diameter, , typically weighs 1 3 kilograms (2 7 lb). shape ranges oblong round, colour of husk green brown, , flesh pale-yellow red, depending on species. among thirty known species of durio, 9 of them have been identified producing edible fruits: d. zibethinus, d. dulcis, d. grandiflorus, d. graveolens, d. kutejensis, d. macrantha, d. oxleyanus , d. testudinarum. there many species fruit has never been collected or examined, however, other species edible fruit may exist. durian similar in appearance jackfruit, unrelated species.

the name durian comes malay word duri (thorn) suffix -an (for building noun in malay). d. zibethinus species commercially cultivated on large scale , available outside of native region. since species open-pollinated, shows considerable diversity in fruit colour , odour, size of flesh , seed, , tree phenology. in species name, zibethinus refers indian civet, viverra zibetha. there disagreement on whether name, bestowed linnaeus, refers civets being fond of durian fruit used bait entrap them, or durian smelling civet.

durian flowers large , feathery copious nectar, , give off heavy, sour, , buttery odour. these features typical of flowers pollinated species of bats eat nectar , pollen. according research conducted in malaysia in 1970s, durians pollinated exclusively cave fruit bats (eonycteris spelaea); however, 1996 study indicated 2 species, d. grandiflorus , d. oblongus, pollinated spiderhunters (nectariniidae) , species, d. kutejensis, pollinated giant honey bees , birds bats.

some scientists have hypothesized development of monothecate anthers , larger flowers (compared of remaining genera in durioneae) in clade consisting of durio, boschia, , cullenia in conjunction transition beetle pollination vertebrate pollination.

cultivars

different cultivars of durian have distinct colours. d101 (right) has rich yellow flesh, distinguishable variety (left).

over centuries, numerous durian cultivars, propagated vegetative clones, have arisen in southeast asia. used grown mixed results seeds of trees bearing superior quality fruit, propagated layering, marcotting, or more commonly, grafting, including bud, veneer, wedge, whip or u-grafting onto seedlings of randomly selected rootstocks. different cultivars may distinguished extent variations in fruit shape, such shape of spines. durian consumers express preferences specific cultivars, fetch higher prices in market.

most cultivars have common name , code number starting d . example, popular clones kop (d99 thai: กบ – frog thai pronunciation: [kòp]), chanee (d123, thai: ชะนี – gibbon thai pronunciation: [tɕʰániː]), berserah or green durian or tuan mek hijau (d145 thai: ทุเรียนเขียว – green durian thai pronunciation: [tʰúriːən kʰǐow]), kan yao (d158, thai: ก้านยาว – long stem thai pronunciation: [kâːn jaːw]), mon thong (d159, thai: หมอนทอง – golden pillow thai pronunciation: [mɔ̌ːn tʰɔːŋ]), kradum thong (thai: กระดุมทอง – golden button thai pronunciation: [kràdum tʰɔːŋ]), , no common name, d24 , d169. each cultivar has distinct taste , odour. more 200 cultivars of d. zibethinus exist in thailand.

mon thong commercially sought after, thick, full-bodied creamy , mild sweet-tasting flesh relatively moderate smell emitted , smaller seeds, while chanee best in terms of resistance infection phytophthora palmivora. kan yao less common, prized longer window of time when both sweet , odorless @ same time. among cultivars in thailand, 5 in large-scale commercial cultivation: chanee, mon thong, kan yao, ruang, , kradum. since 1920s, there have been more 100 registered cultivars in malaysia, , 1992 there 193; many superior cultivars have been identified through competitions held @ annual malaysian agriculture, horticulture, , agrotourism show. in vietnam, same process has been achieved through competitions held southern fruit research institute. cat mountain king, or musang king, recently-popular variety.

by 2007, thai government scientist songpol somsri had crossbred more ninety varieties of durian create chantaburi no. 1, cultivar without characteristic odour. hybrid, chantaburi no. 3, develops odour 3 days after fruit picked, enables odourless transport yet satisfies consumers prefer pungent odour. on 22 may 2012, 2 other cultivars thailand lack usual odour, long laplae , lin laplae, presented public yothin samutkhiri, governor of uttaradit province these cultivars developed locally, while announced dates annual durian fair of laplae district, , name given each cultivar.

popular cultivars in malaysia , singapore (singapore imports of durians malaysia, hence varieties similar although there may slight variation in names) include d24 , popular variety known bittersweet taste; xo , has pale color, thick flesh tinge of alcoholic fermentation; chook kiok (cantonese meaning: bamboo leg) has distinctive yellowish core in inner stem; , musang king ( musang malay word civet cat) priciest of cultivars. musang king known bright yellow flesh , more potent or enhanced version of d24. particular variety ought consumed last, tends make other durians taste bland in comparison.