Monkey jack and Gumihan
Monkey Jack (Artocarpus rigidus Blume)
Gumihan (Artocarpus sericicarpus)
Unknown to many, the jackfruit and the breadfruit have relatives which bear delicious fruits and provide fairly good sources of timber. These species are the monkey jack and the “gumihan.” They play an important role in the natural vegetationin South-East Asia providing food , fiber, and medicinal products.
Description
The monkey jack is an evergreen tree which grows up to 35 m high. It has a gray bark which peels off in flakes. Leaves are oblong, dark green with prominent veins underneath. Numerous and small flowers are densely packed together forming the male and female heads which are produced separately within the same tree. Fruit is round, 7-13 cm wide, with thick, tapering spines, thick skin, and dull orange. Inside the fruit is the orange, sweet, waxy, and pleasant tasting pulp which surrounds the seeds.
The gumihan, on the other hand, is a medium-to-large-sized tree growing up to 40 m tall. The leaves are large, dark green, and hairy underneath. Fruit is roundish, 4-5 cmlong and 4 cm wide, orange yellow and covered with lon, coarse, thread-like hairs. The skin is thick and fleshy. The pulp is whitish, sweet, juic, aromatic and of fair to good flavor. Seeds are many, roundish and separate readily from the flesh.
Uses
Monkey jack fruits is eaten fresh. The timber is used for construction and furniture. The latex is mixed with wax and used in batik work and as an ointment in veterinary medicine.
For gumihan, the ripe fruit is eaten fresh, pulp being very sweet. The seeds may alsobe roasted and eaten like peanuts. The bark may also be used to make bark cloth.
Soil and Climatic Requirements
Both monkey jack and gumihan grow in evergreen forests up to 500-1,000 m, in the humid tropical zone or in areas with a relatively mild monsoon climate. Gumihan succeeds best in areas with a uniform distribution of rainfall. Very often, the monkey jack grows near the streams.
Cultural Management
Planting. For gumihan, set the plants at 10-14 m apart. No information for planting distance of monkey jack is available.
Propagation. Propagate monkey jack and gumihan from seeds. Seeds germinate readily, but cannot withstand dry conditions.
Pests and diseases. No serious pests and diseases are known to infect monkey jack and gumihan.
Others. Being forest trees and lesser-known crops whose potentials have not yet been tapped, information on application of fertilizer, pruning and other cultural management practices of the two species have not yet been generated.
Harvesting
Monkey jack bears fruit from June to September, while gumihan, from April to July. To harvest, cut the connecting stalk of the fruit from the branch.
Source: PROSEA leaflet no.8
PCARRD
UPLB
DA
Gumihan is a not-so-common fruit desired for its aromatic, fleshy and sweet taste. This tree grows well in Bicol, existing as natural stand. As there is no attempt to commercially propagate it this tree is fast vanishing.
Compared to marang, a gumihan fruit is smaller but it tastes far superior to the former.
We should save this tree specie before it goes extinct.
Gumihan is known as Pedalai outside of the Philippines. We should propagate this fruit in commercial quantity since it thrives well in our climate. The fruit is readily accepted by foreigners, the more reason to plant it and be another source of income.