How Many Years Before a Durian Tree Bears Fruit? The Latest Answer Is Here

Durian is a purely tropical crop. It can be grown in areas where the daily average temperature at the growing site is above 22°C and there is no frost. Parts of Hainan Province and Yunnan Province in China can develop it, because it needs a year-round high-temperature climate to grow and bear fruit. Even in equatorial regions at an altitude above 600 m, durian cannot be grown or cannot bear fruit. Now let's take a look at how many years it takes for a durian tree to bear fruit!

How many years before a durian tree bears fruit?

There are more than 200 varieties of durian, and 60 to 80 are commonly grown at present. The time to fruit varies according to the variety. Light varieties include Monthong, Kradum Thong, Chanthaburi, Golden Pillow and Chanee, etc., which usually bear fruit after 4 to 5 years. Medium varieties include Long Stalk and Gu Ye Tao, which usually bear fruit after 6 to 8 years. Heavy varieties include Kampung and Ina, which generally bear fruit after about 8 years. They bear fruit once a year, and the ripening times differ by 1 to 2 months from one another.

In which months does durian ripen?

The ripening period of durian is from November to February of the following year and from June to August. The fruit is oval, spherical or elliptical, can weigh up to 3 to 5 kg, and when ripe the fruit surface is brownish yellow with many woody pointed protrusions. Inside there are dozens of seeds, with a milky white fleshy aril, which is the main part eaten. The flowering period of durian is from June to December each year, with 3 to 30 flowers per cluster. A tree can produce about 80 durians per year, and they can ripen ten days after being picked from the tree.

What durian varieties are there?

1. Golden Pillow: Golden Pillow is a very popular one, with lots of flesh and sweet, golden-yellow flesh. It often has one larger segment, called the “main flesh”. Because its smell is not too strong, it is very suitable for beginners to “start” eating this fruit that is both stinky and fragrant. It can be eaten all year round, but the price varies with the season. In peak season the price is the lowest, and it is also the best-tasting time.

2. Chanee: Chanee is more popular when its leaves are small, its size is small, its flesh is abundant and its seeds are small. It is cheaper than Golden Pillow, and its flesh is best when dark yellow.

3. Long Stalk: Long Stalk is named because the fruit stalk of this durian is longer than that of other varieties. The stalk is long and round, and the whole durian is mainly round. The flesh and seed are also round. The skin is green, with many dense spines. The seed is large and the flesh is scant but delicate and strong in flavor.

4. Gu Ye Tao: Gu Ye Tao's flesh is especially delicate, as sweet as honey, and its seed tip is small, making it popular among “gourmets”. It is the most expensive type of durian.