| Interesting Durian Facts: |
|---|
| Durian is an evergreen tree that can reach 80 to 164 feet in height. |
| Durian produces elliptical or oblong leaves that emit pleasant aroma. Leaves are green colored and alternately arranged on the branches. |
| Durian produces white, yellow or reddish flowers arranged in clusters of 3 to 30. Flowers grow directly from the main branches and trunk. They are large and feathery. Flowers produce large quantities of nectar which attracts bats and bees, main pollinators of this plant. |
| Durian produces round, oval or oblong fruit with thick, spiny brown-green husk on the surface, and juicy, soft flesh divided in 5 segments. Each segment is filled with large seed. Flesh can be white, pale yellow or bright red, depending on the species. |
| Fruit can weigh up to 7 pounds and it can inflict serious injuries to the people passing under the tree when it starts to fall to the ground. |
| Durian starts to produce fruit 5 years after planting. Ripe fruit is available from June to August. Tree can produce fruit two times per year. Older trees produce fruit of best quality. |
| Durian can be propagated via seed and grafting. |
| Durian tastes like custard mixed with almond, but it smells like rotten onion, stale socks or raw sewage. It can be consumed when it is partially or fully ripe. Durian is rich source of dietary fibers, vitamins C, E and vitamins of the B group and minerals such as iron and potassium. It should be consumed moderately, because it contains a lot of sugar. |
| Durian can be consumed fresh or as ingredient of ice-creams, cakes, milkshakes and biscuits. It can be also used for the preparation of soups, sauces and curries. |
| Seed needs to be thermally processed (fried, boiled or roasted) before consumption. |
| Durian is banned in the public transportation, hotels and airplanes in some parts of southeast Asia because of its unpleasant aroma. |
| Thanks to its unusual smell, animals such as civet can easily detect durian from a distance of half a mile. |
| Name “durian” originates from Malay word “duri” which means “thorn”, and it refers to the sharp spines on the husk. |
| Durian (fruit) reduces blood cholesterol level and normalizes blood pressure. Juice squeezed from the leaves can be used in treatment of fever. |
| Durian is perennial plant that can survive 80 to 150 years in the wild. |
