Jackfruit (Kathal) Tree (Artocarpus heterophyllus): Where It Grows in India and How to Plant It

Artocarpus heterophyllus

Jackfruit, kathal (कटहल) in Hindi, is Artocarpus heterophyllus, the big evergreen fruit tree native to India. How to plant a grafted kathal tree and when, where to plant it, how to raise a plant from seed, whether it can live in a pot, how to recognise it, three years of care and what to watch out for.

Published on October 22, 2026
GreenEye Team

Planting methods

GraftingPrimary method

Spacing: 8 x 8 m (TNAU) to 12-15 m (KAU); ICRAF thins to 7.5-12 m. A rough starting point for growing room, not a safe distance from buildings or services · Depth: Pit 1 m each way (TNAU) or 60 cm (KAU), filled a little above ground; plant at bag level with the graft joint above the soil and stake it (KAU)

Choose a rootstock and a scion
Join them and tie firmly
Plant with the graft union above the soil

Seed

Spacing: Nursery bags; seedlings are mostly used as rootstocks (TNAU) · Depth: Sow fresh, washed seed soon after removing it: recalcitrant, does not survive drying (ICRAF); seedling trees bear from about the 8th year (TNAU)

Pick fresh, healthy seed and prepare it
Sow at a shallow, even depth
Cover lightly and keep the soil moist
Transplant the seedling once it is sturdy

Sources: Orwa C. et al. (2009). Agroforestree Database 4.0: Artocarpus heterophyllus. ICRAF; TNAU Agritech Portal, Horticulture: Jack (soil, climate, propagation, planting season, spacing, pit, irrigation, bearing age, harvest, pests); Kerala Agricultural University, Centre for e-Learning (CELKAU): Jackfruit, land preparation and planting (pit, spacing, graft joint, staking, late-evening planting, never exposed to drought or frost)

This article was prepared with AI assistance and checked by the GreenEye team against the sources shown in each section.

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