Appearance & recognition
Cempedak is a Moraceae tree with hairy leaves and young shoots. Its elongated compound fruit holds aromatic yellow to orange flesh around separate seeds. The outer surface is textured but differs from the much larger fruit of jackfruit. Cempedak grows in humid lowland forests and is also cultivated; native forest trees and market fruit therefore belong to the same botanical story.
Sources & references · 1
National Parks Board Singapore · Artocarpus integer — Flora & Fauna WebEdible parts, flavour & texture
The ripe fleshy portions are sweet, soft and strongly scented. They can be eaten fresh or used in cooked preparations. Seeds are a different ingredient and are eaten after cooking, not treated as raw fruit flesh. Tarap is a close fruit-tree relative, but has its own pale pulp and species identity. Names and flavour are useful clues; neither replaces botanical identification.
Sources & references · 1
National Parks Board Singapore · Artocarpus integer — Flora & Fauna WebEcological relationships
At Sungai Wain in East Kalimantan, cempedak fruit was recorded in sun bear scats and direct feeding observations.
