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Other Names: Lanson, Lanzone, Dukuh, Dukung, Longkong, Buah Duku
Related To:
[Meliaceae] Santol
Main Uses:
Fruit.
Growth Rate:
Slow.
Mature Height/Spread:
Up to 55' but usually smaller.
Flowering/Pollination:
Cauliflorous yellow flowers occur in solitary or clustered spikes, on trunk and major branches.
Tolerance:
Low dry tolerance, low salt tolerance.
Soil/Nutrition:
Rich, moist, slightly acidic. Will not tolerate alkaline soils. Frequently grows on harder soils, with grasses underneath.
Light:
Shade, dappled sunlight. In marginal regions it can be exposed to more light. Always acclimate the tree gradually to more light.
Wind:
Strong, sturdy tree.
Temperature:
This species is more cold tolerant than it's equatorial native range might suggest. As an adult tree it can withstand brief frosts, and has been successfully fruited in extreme south Florida and the Florida Keys.
Dangers:
None.
Diseases Prone:
Corky bark (fungus canker), especially in marginal & non-native regions.
Bearing Age:
5-6 years from graft in ideal tropical regions. 15 years from seed.
Fruit:
1.5" thin-skinned fruits have 5 segments inside. Duku produces larger fruits than langsat. Fruits of either can be slightly sour to very sweet, with langsat bearing the spectrum of sweet/sour, tangy fruits. Flesh of both is usually translucent whitish, though some types are pinkish. Seeds are intensely bitter, and always avoided. Fruiting generally occurs twice per year.
History/Origin:
Southeast Asia. It is ubiquitous in Malaysia and Thailand. Langsats are considered the progenitor species, as langsats often grow wild, while the larger, sweeter "duku" are cultivated extensively, and are found near human habitation. Duku is therefore a variety of langsat.
Species Observations:
It is considered good for ants to be nesting on or near the duku/langsat tree, as they are generally drawn to the trees with very sweet fruits. Their desired presence is recognized by the traces of black-ish residue left on the tips of the fruit. Young seedlings will sometimes exude a clear, sugary resin, a good indicator of a tree which will grow to have a sweet fruit. In regards to sweetness, often the smaller, darker fruits of the bunch will be sweeter than the larger, or lighter ones.
Langsat and Duku are recognized as rather distinct fruits in their native regions, even though they come from the same species. There are a few general distinctions in the growth habits of each tree, and the shape of each fruit, as well as a Thai hybrid of the two, called "Dokong."
Duku
Tree: Trees tend to be more stout, more densely foliated, and larger than langsat.
Fruit: Spherical, large 1.5-1.75" diameter fruit (golfball-sized), sweeter than langsat. Fruits occur in clusters of 4-12. It has a thinner skin that is easily peeled, which is most often tan or golden-brown colored.
Langsat
Tree: Thinner, more slender, with fewer branches than Duku.
Fruit: Oblong / egg-shaped fruits, 1" in diameter, 6-12 per cluster. Skin of langsat is rougher than skin of duku, and has a cream or light tan color. Langsat also exudes a bitter latex from the skin when ripe, making it, for some, less desirable than duku.
Dokong, Longkon (Duku X Langsat) Dokong is a hybrid of duku and langsat with very few seeds. The tree displays the appearance and growth characteristics of Duku. The fruits are large oblong, and produced very prolifically, being frequently distorted by the pressure of growing in tight packed bunches.
Duku Muar or "tai-ko" duku, from peninsular Malaysia (Johor) is a very large fruited duku relative, with a thick rind, and translucent flesh sections of uneven sizes. The flesh tastes almost exactly like duku. The fruit is tennis-ball sized, with a slightly scurfy skin. It is more similar in appearance to the santol (sandorium koetjape) than the Duku. It fruits prolifically in more sparse, dangling clusters of 5-6 large fruits. Note: This may be a separate species.
Propogation:
By air-layers, cuttings, or by graft. Seeds, which must be planted immediately, grown trees can take in excess of 15 years to bear fruit. 4-5" cuttings can be taken during active growth, and rooted in near 100% humidity with fair success, however air-layered and cutting grown trees tend to have weak root systems.
Container Culture:
Possible, but not ideal.
Medicinal Uses:
Nutritional Information:
Preparation / Food:
Fruits are eaten fresh. Avoid the seeds, as they are remarkably bitter.
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"Tree is in fine shape and budding! Packing was exceptional. Thank you so much!"
- Satisfied Customer 1
"WOW, Plant is 10X better than expected. Great condition. Thank you very much."
- Satisfied Customer 2
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