Pala, kathal in Hindi, is jackfruit, a large evergreen of the Western Ghats that bears the largest fruit of any tree, sometimes over forty kilograms. It is Kerala’s state fruit and one of the three mukkani, the sacred fruits of Tamil tradition, with mango and banana. Ripe bulbs are sweet and fragrant, raw jackfruit is cooked as a vegetable and sold as a meat substitute, and the seeds are roasted or curried.
- Botanical name
- Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.
- Family
- Moraceae
- Tamil
- Pala
- Hindi
- Kathal
- Sanskrit
- Panasa
- Parts used
- Fruit, Seeds, Sometimes leaf and latex in lists
- Habit
- Large evergreen with the world’s largest tree fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Pala
It is a large evergreen tree with a dense crown and milky, sticky latex in every part.
The leaves are glossy, dark green, oval and leathery, sometimes lobed on young trees.
Male and female flower heads grow on short stalks from the trunk and main branches.
The fruit is huge and oblong, with green to yellow skin covered in short, blunt spines.
Inside are many yellow, fleshy bulbs, each around a large seed, among fibrous strands.
Traditional use of Pala
Kitchen
Raw jackfruit is cooked into kootu, thoran and biryani, and ripe bulbs into chakka varatti and payasam.
Kerala and Tamil food practice
Kitchen
Jackfruit seeds are roasted, boiled or added to curries.
South Indian food practice
Craft
Jackwood is used for furniture and for the bodies of the veena.
South Indian craft practice
Modern notes on Pala
Raw jackfruit has a stringy texture that makes it popular as a meat substitute.
The bulbs supply sugars, fibre, vitamin C and potassium.
Kerala declared jackfruit its state fruit in 2018.
Pala safety
Jackfruit is a safe food. Oil your hands and knife before cutting to handle the latex. People with birch pollen or latex allergy sometimes react to it.
Ecology and sourcing
It is native to the Western Ghats.
Its fruits grow on the trunk, where animals can reach them.
Bats, monkeys and squirrels eat the fruit and spread the seeds.
Related plants
Also in Moraceae
Questions about Pala
How big can jackfruit get?
Over forty kilograms.
Is raw jackfruit a meat substitute?
It is used as one for its texture.
Are the seeds of Pala edible?
Yes, cooked.
What are the mukkani?
Mango, jackfruit and banana in Tamil tradition.
How do I deal with the sticky latex?
Oil your hands and knife.
Sources
- Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q45757 (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
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.