Seevi pala (Artocarpus altilis)

Breadfruit is a tall Pacific tree whose large, round, starchy fruits are cooked like potatoes. It was domesticated in New Guinea and spread across the Pacific islands; in 1789 the mutiny on HMS Bounty happened on a voyage to carry breadfruit plants to the Caribbean. In Kerala it is kadachakka, cooked into thoran and curry. Most cultivated trees are seedless. It is a cousin of jackfruit, pala, but much smaller-fruited.

Botanical name: Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg
Family: Moraceae
Tamil: Seevi pala
Hindi: Breadfruit
Parts used: Fruit, Seeds on seeded types
Habit: Pacific breadfruit; the starchy fruit is cooked as a vegetable
Last updated: 2026-10-27

How to recognise Seevi pala

It is an evergreen tree, often fifteen to twenty metres tall, with milky latex in every part.

The leaves are very large, glossy and deeply cut into seven to eleven pointed lobes.

Male flowers form long, club-shaped spikes; female flowers form round, green heads.

The fruit is round to oval, ten to twenty centimetres across, with green skin marked in small hexagons.

Jackfruit has smaller, unlobed leaves and huge fruits on the trunk.

Traditional use of Seevi pala

Kitchen

In Kerala kadachakka is cubed and cooked with coconut as thoran or in a spiced curry.

Kerala food practice

Kitchen

Pacific islanders roast breadfruit whole in fire or earth ovens and ferment it in pits for storage.

Pacific food practice

Kitchen

Slices are fried into chips in Sri Lanka, Kerala and the Caribbean.

Tropical food practice

Modern notes on Seevi pala

The fruit is mostly starch, with fibre, potassium and some vitamin C.

One tree can produce over a hundred fruits a year, which makes it a food-security crop in the tropics.

Seedless types are propagated by root cuttings or tissue culture.

Seevi pala safety

Eat breadfruit cooked; raw unripe fruit is hard and full of latex. Oil the knife and your hands before cutting it to deal with the sticky sap.

Ecology and sourcing

It needs a hot, humid climate and rich, well-drained soil.

Fruit bats eat ripe fruits that fall.

Seeded types still grow wild in New Guinea.

Related plants

Also in Moraceae

Questions about Seevi pala

Is breadfruit a jackfruit?

It is a relative, with smaller, round fruit.

Can Seevi pala be eaten raw?

No. It is cooked like a starchy vegetable.

What is kadachakka?

The Malayalam name for breadfruit.

Why was Seevi pala carried to the Caribbean?

As a cheap food crop for plantations.

Does Seevi pala have seeds?

Most cultivated types are seedless.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.