Rimas Artocarpus altilis

About Rimas

Rimas, commonly known as breadfruit internationally, is a large tropical tree scientifically classified as Artocarpus altilis in the family Moraceae — the same plant family that includes langka (jackfruit), mulberry, and fig. It is one of the highest-yielding food trees in the tropics, with a single mature specimen capable of producing over 200 starchy fruits per year, each weighing 1 to 3 kilograms. In the Philippines, rimas has been a traditional staple food in the Visayas, Bicol, and parts of Mindanao, where it is valued as a reliable carbohydrate source that can substitute for rice.

The tree is an impressive specimen, reaching heights of 15 to 25 meters with a broad, spreading canopy of deeply lobed, glossy dark green leaves that can grow up to 60 centimeters long. The fruit is round to oblong, with a bumpy green exterior that turns yellowish-green when ripe. Inside, the mature flesh is creamy white to pale yellow with a starchy, bread-like texture when cooked — hence the English name "breadfruit." Seedless varieties, which are most common in the Philippines, are propagated vegetatively through root suckers, making them true clones of their parent tree.

Despite its extraordinary productivity and deep roots in Filipino food culture, rimas remains an underutilized crop in the Philippines. While nearly every provincial barangay in the Visayas has at least a few rimas trees, commercial cultivation is rare and most of the fruit goes unharvested or is consumed only within the household. Agricultural researchers and food security advocates have begun calling for renewed attention to breadfruit as a climate-resilient crop that requires no annual replanting, withstands moderate typhoon damage, and provides a dependable food source independent of the rice supply chain.

The market price for rimas fruit ranges from approximately 30 to 60 pesos per kilogram in provincial wet markets, though availability is seasonal and varies by region. In Metro Manila, fresh rimas is uncommon in supermarkets but can occasionally be found in palengkes that source from Bicol and the Visayas. Processed rimas products such as flour and chips are emerging in specialty health food stores.

History and Discovery

Artocarpus altilis was formally described by the German-Dutch botanist Georg Eberhard Rumphius in the 17th century and later classified under its current binomial by Johann Reinhold Forster and his son Georg Forster during Captain Cook's Pacific voyages in the 1770s. The genus name Artocarpus derives from the Greek words artos (bread) and karpos (fruit), directly referencing the bread-like texture of the cooked flesh. The species name altilis means "fat" or "nourishing" in Latin, acknowledging its value as a food crop.

Breadfruit is native to the western Pacific region, with its center of origin in the area encompassing the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Melanesia. Archaeological and genetic evidence indicates that Austronesian peoples domesticated and distributed breadfruit across the Pacific Islands over thousands of years, developing the seedless varieties through centuries of selective vegetative propagation. In the Philippines, rimas has been cultivated since pre-colonial times and was documented by early Spanish chroniclers as a common food tree in the Visayan islands. The infamous HMS Bounty mutiny of 1789 was triggered during a British expedition to transport breadfruit from Tahiti to the Caribbean as a cheap food source for enslaved workers — a testament to the plant's recognized value as a staple crop.

In Philippine folk tradition, rimas holds a special place in Visayan and Bicolano foodways. Older generations recall periods when rice was scarce — during World War II, typhoon aftermath, or simply during the months between rice harvests — and rimas served as the family's primary carbohydrate. This cultural memory persists in regional dishes like nilupak na rimas and ginataang rimas, which remain beloved comfort foods throughout the central and southern Philippines.

How to Plant Rimas

Propagation methods: Root suckers (primary), Stem cuttings, Air layering

Time to fruiting: 3 to 5 years from root suckers

Best planting season in the Philippines: June to August, onset of the rainy season

Step-by-Step Planting Guide

1. Select your planting material. Obtain root suckers from an established rimas tree — these are the young shoots that emerge from the lateral roots of the parent tree. Root suckers 30 to 50 cm tall with a few developed leaves are ideal. For seedless Philippine varieties, root suckers are the standard propagation method as there are no viable seeds to plant. Stem cuttings of at least 3 cm diameter can also be used but have lower success rates.
2. Prepare the planting site. Choose a permanent, spacious location with full sun exposure. Rimas grows into a very large tree (15 to 25 meters), so allow at least 10 meters of clearance from buildings, power lines, and other large trees. Dig a planting hole 60 cm wide and 60 cm deep. Mix the excavated soil with compost or aged carabao manure at a 3:1 ratio to create a nutrient-rich backfill.
3. Plant the root sucker or cutting. Position the root sucker upright in the center of the prepared hole, ensuring the original soil line on the stem matches the new ground level. Backfill with the enriched soil mix, gently firming around the base to eliminate air pockets. For stem cuttings, plant at a slight angle with one-third of the length buried below ground.
4. Water deeply and thoroughly. Immediately after planting, water until the soil is saturated and a brief pool forms on the surface before draining. Continue deep watering twice per week during the first dry season. Rimas has a deep root system once established but needs consistent moisture during its first year to develop properly.
5. Mulch and stake the young tree. Apply a thick 10 cm layer of dried leaves, rice straw, or coconut coir in a circle around the base to conserve soil moisture, moderate root temperature, and suppress competing weeds. Stake the young tree with a sturdy bamboo pole to protect against typhoon winds during its first two years while the trunk develops strength.
6. Allow growth to maturity with minimal intervention. Once established, rimas requires very little maintenance. The tree will begin fruiting in 3 to 5 years from root suckers. Prune only dead, diseased, or crossing branches to maintain good airflow through the canopy. As productivity increases with age, a single mature tree can yield over 200 fruits per season, providing food security for an entire household.

Care Guide

Sunlight

Requirement: Full Sun

Rimas requires full sun with at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth and fruit production. Young trees can tolerate light shade from taller canopy trees, but fruit production will be significantly reduced in shaded conditions. In the Philippine context, plant rimas in open areas away from buildings or taller trees that might cast prolonged shadow. Provincial yards, farm perimeters, and roadside plantings are ideal locations.

Water

Frequency: Weekly deep watering during dry season; natural rainfall sufficient during monsoon

Mature rimas trees are moderately drought-tolerant due to their deep, extensive root systems. However, fruit quality and quantity improve significantly with consistent moisture. Water deeply once or twice per week during the dry season (March to May) by soaking the root zone thoroughly. During the rainy season from June to November, supplemental watering is rarely needed. Avoid waterlogging in poorly drained clay soils, as prolonged saturation can damage the root system.

Soil

Type: Deep loam, Sandy loam, Volcanic soil

pH Range: 6.0 to 7.5

Rimas performs best in deep, rich, well-drained loamy soil — the type commonly found in volcanic lowlands and river valleys throughout the Visayas and Bicol. The tree can tolerate a range of soil types including sandy and slightly clay soils, but it demands good drainage and sufficient depth for its extensive root system. Shallow, rocky, or perpetually waterlogged soils are unsuitable. Amend poor soils with generous amounts of compost and aged manure before planting.

Humidity and Temperature

Humidity: 70 to 90%

Temperature: 24°C to 35°C

Rimas is perfectly adapted to the warm, humid lowland climate of the Philippines. It thrives at temperatures between 24°C and 35°C and prefers high humidity between 70 and 90 percent, which matches typical conditions across the Visayas, Bicol, and Mindanao year-round. The tree is not frost-tolerant and performs poorly above 600 meters elevation in the Philippines where temperatures drop significantly at night. Coastal and lowland areas provide the ideal growing environment.

Fertilizer

Young rimas trees benefit from quarterly applications of balanced organic fertilizer or complete fertilizer (14-14-14) during their first three years. Apply around the drip line of the canopy rather than directly against the trunk. Mature, established trees typically require little to no supplemental fertilization as their deep root systems access nutrients from a wide soil volume. Top-dressing with compost or aged manure once per year during the start of the rainy season helps maintain soil fertility and supports heavy fruit production.

Pruning

Unlike malunggay or other small fruit trees, rimas does not respond well to aggressive pruning of its main trunk. Limit pruning to the removal of dead branches, damaged limbs after typhoons, and any crossing branches that impede airflow through the canopy. Light canopy thinning can improve light penetration and reduce fungal disease pressure during the wet season. If the tree grows too tall for fruit harvesting, some Filipino farmers practice selective branch reduction to keep fruit-bearing wood within reach of a long bamboo pole harvester (called a tikarol or pangahig).

Growing Medium Options

Rimas is exclusively a ground-planted tree due to its massive mature size (15 to 25 meters tall) and deep, extensive root system. There is no practical way to grow a productive rimas tree in containers, water culture, or hydroponic systems. The tree requires deep, undisturbed soil to develop its characteristic large lateral roots and deep taproot. For Philippine growers, this means rimas is suited to provincial yards, farms, institutional grounds, and community food forests — not to urban container gardens or rooftop setups. If you have limited space, consider planting a single rimas tree as a long-term investment in a corner of your lot where it can grow to its full potential over decades.

Edible Uses and Nutrition

Edible parts: Mature fruit flesh, Young fruit (cooked), Male flower clusters, Seeds (in seeded varieties)

Culinary Uses

Rimas is one of the most versatile starchy foods in Filipino provincial cuisine. The mature fruit flesh, when cooked, has a soft, bread-like texture with a mild, slightly sweet flavor that absorbs accompanying flavors readily — much like rice or potato. The most common preparations in the Visayas and Bicol include: nilupak na rimas (boiled breadfruit mashed with coconut milk, butter, and sugar — similar to nilupak na saging), linangoy or linagpang (breadfruit chunks simmered in thick coconut milk with sugar), ginataang rimas (savory breadfruit stew in coconut cream with shrimp or pork), and rimas con leche (a creamy dessert similar to maja blanca). Simply boiled or steamed rimas slices are eaten as a plain carbohydrate alongside ulam, just as one would eat rice. Sliced thinly and deep-fried, rimas makes excellent chips similar to banana chips. The fruit can also be roasted directly over coals, which caramelizes the natural sugars and produces a smoky, satisfying snack.

Nutritional Highlights

Harvest season: Rimas fruits year-round in the Philippines with peak production from June to September during the rainy season. A mature tree can yield 200 or more fruits annually.

Storage: Ripe breadfruit is highly perishable and should be cooked within 2 to 3 days of harvest. For longer storage, the cooked flesh can be mashed and frozen, or sliced and sun-dried for later use. Breadfruit flour — made by drying and grinding the cooked flesh — is gaining popularity as a gluten-free baking alternative and can be stored for several months in airtight containers. Green, unripe fruit can be kept at room temperature for up to a week before ripening.

Air Quality and Oxygen Production

As a large canopy tree with an expansive leaf surface area, rimas is an exceptional oxygen producer and carbon dioxide absorber. A single mature rimas tree with its broad, dense canopy of large leaves photosynthesizes actively throughout the year in the Philippine tropical climate, converting substantial amounts of CO₂ into biomass and releasing oxygen. The tree's massive size means it contributes meaningfully to local air quality in its immediate surroundings — providing not only oxygen but also shade that reduces ambient temperature by several degrees beneath its canopy.

CO₂ absorption: Very High

Rimas trees are excellent candidates for community-level urban and peri-urban greening programs, school ground plantings, and barangay food forests. Their large canopy intercepts particulate matter and provides a cooling effect in hot provincial towns. The combination of food production and environmental services makes rimas one of the most valuable multi-purpose trees for Philippine agroforestry systems, contributing to both food security and climate change mitigation at the local level.

Toxicity and Safety

Humans: Non-toxic (cooked fruit; raw fruit is starchy and unpalatable but not poisonous)

Pets: Non-toxic

Rimas fruit is completely non-toxic and safe for consumption by people of all ages when cooked. The raw fruit flesh is extremely starchy and unpalatable but not poisonous if accidentally consumed. The only notable caution is the sticky white latex sap that exudes from the stem, unripe fruit skin, and cut branches. This latex can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals and is difficult to remove from clothing and tools. Filipino harvesters traditionally coat their hands and bolo blades with coconut oil before cutting rimas to prevent latex adhesion. The latex is not systemically toxic and poses no danger beyond skin contact irritation. All other parts of the tree — leaves, bark, and wood — are considered non-toxic to humans and animals.

Common Pests and Diseases in the Philippines

Pests

• Fruit flies (Bactrocera spp.) — lay eggs in ripening fruit, causing maggot infestation. Harvest fruit promptly when mature and use fruit fly traps during peak season.
• Mealybugs — white, waxy insects that cluster on young shoots, leaf undersides, and developing fruit. Control with neem oil spray or insecticidal soap applications.
• Soft scale insects — attach to stems and branches, sucking sap and excreting honeydew that attracts sooty mold. Prune heavily infested branches and apply horticultural oil.

Diseases

• Fruit rot (Phytophthora and Rhizopus spp.) — soft, watery rot of ripe or damaged fruit, especially during prolonged wet weather. Harvest fruit before full ripeness and ensure good air circulation in the canopy.
• Leaf blight — brown necrotic patches on leaves during extended rainy periods. Usually not serious enough to require treatment on mature trees. Improve canopy airflow through selective pruning.
• Root rot — occurs in poorly drained or waterlogged soils. Prevent by selecting well-drained planting sites and avoiding over-irrigation. Once established, rimas rarely suffers root rot in appropriate soil conditions.