HONOLULU (KHON2) — We’re back with our monthly look at the Halawa Xeriscape Garden with the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Michele Harman, the BWS community relations specialist stopped by to talk story about a very dynamic fruit plant here in the islands, ulu or breadfruit.
“Yes, one of my favorite topics – growing beautiful plants that are delicious,” Harman said. “At our garden in Halawa, thanks to Lyon Arboretum and Kumu Kekai from Ke Kula Kaiapuni o Nanakuli, we have 3 varieties – from Hawaii, Tahiti, and Sāmoa. The Hawaiian variety is the oldest and growing strong. It’s over 6 feet tall. We hope to have fruit start in about 3 more years. Of course, one reason we love ‘ulu at our xeric garden is that ‘ulu can withstand sun, heat, and months of drought.”
Harman said it’s important to grow food like ulu.
“Yes, if we have land that grows food, why wouldnʻt we grow food? We all know that we need to increase food security and we need to make sure that everyone here has access to affordable, local, nutritious food. ‘Ulu can help meet these needs and more. On average, trees begin to bear fruits around 5 years of age. ʻUlu can live 50 years or more, producing hundreds of pounds of fruit per year. Many stories with histories of breadfruit, such as in Hawaii, tell of how the tree is a gift that saved people during times of famine. Itʻs a great tree for use in agroforestry firebreaks as well. Though primarily a food crop, it has many other uses – for example, for cordage and medicine.”
To get started, be considerate of space.
“I am a long-time eater of ʻulu, but I’m new to growing. My early considerations were – I needed to find the appropriate space as I plan for a tree thatʻs about 15 ft tall with a canopy about the same size. Itʻll need room for its roots. ʻUlu needs good drainage and our garden has patchy areas of good drainage, so I had to find those spots. Lastly, I had to pick which varieties I wanted and find sources for those varieties. I started growing nanea in the area to help add nitrogen. To keep the tree and fruit healthy, as with most plants, it is important to have healthy soil with good drainage along with airflow. ʻUlu can be pruned to maintain airflow and to keep the fruits within reach. I suggest planning now but donʻt plant until the wet season as new plants need more water to get established.”
Ways to eat ulu are very variable, from savory to sweet recipes.
“There are so many ways to cook ʻulu! I usually just steam mine and add salt though. Stacie Ito, from our Finance Division, recommends adding coconut cream for a sweet treat. Ernie from our Security team makes delicious dips with a variety of ingredients. Luckily, there are many locally-made ʻulu products to try that are available in grocery stores. I’ve had ʻulu stew, cheesecake, poi, and chips. It is all very good! If we can’t grow the trees, we can still support our local farmers and producers.”
For more information, visit the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative or The Breadfruit Institute at NTBG‘s websites. Also, Plants in Hawaiian Culture, a book by Beatrice Krauss from UH Press.