Durio kakura
Durio testudinarum
Family: Malvaceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows up to 10 or 25 m tall. The trunk is 35 cm across. The small branches are slender and covered with small golden scales fringed with hairs. The leaves are alternate, oval and with a pointy tip and rounded base. The leaf stalks are about 1.5 cm long. The flowers are white and in clusters on the trunk of the tree. They are about 15 to 30 cm from the ground. The fruit are on 8 to 10 cm long stalks. Fruit are green and yellow when ripe. They are rounded and about 5 to 15 cm across and with spines. The seeds are completely covered with a yellow seed covering.
There are about 20 Durio species. Also put in the family Durionaceae.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. They occur from Davao to Butuan and central Mindanao in the Philippines. It grows in lowland rain forest. It grows from sea level to 700 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Philippines, Sarawak, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The yellow layer around the seeds is eaten raw when ripe.
It is occasionally cultivated as a fruit tree.
Edible parts
Fruit, aril
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seeds.
Its other names
Local names
Durian kura-kura, Lujian beramatai, Panugianon, Rian kura-kura