The Origin of Durian

Photo taken from Fruity Goody

Introduction of Durian

The name of “durian” is originated from a Malay word called duri, which is the meaning of thorn and together with the noun-building suffix -an. The name “durian” is extremely fit and relevant to its exterior as durian fruit has a thick fiber shell which is covered by sharp thorns. 

Photo by Mark Wiens

The flesh of durian is soft, mushy and creamy. The flesh’s color is usually white, yellow or golden yellow which depends on its varieties. 

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The smell of durian is very strong and pungent, and thus it is not allowed to bring to certain places such as plane, bus, hotel and train. 

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Some people feel that the smell is sharply aromatic and fragrant but some feel that the smell is repulsive, stinking and terrible. It is either you love it or hate it.

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Origin and Distribution of Durian

Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia is believed to be the native and geographic origin and center of diversity of durian. Durian is the fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio. The genus Durio has about 30 recognized species of which 19 species are indigenous to the island of Borneo, 7 species are native to Sumatra, while Peninsular Malaysia has 11 native species. 

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At least nine species are notable for producing edible fruit, one of which called “Durio zibethinus” is cultivated commercially in huge quantities in Southeast Asia. It is the only species that available in the international market. Durio zibethinus is the most common tree species in the genus Durio that is known as durian. 

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King of Fruits

Durian is known as the “King of Fruits” in Southeast Asia region.

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Durian is the most famous and popular tropical fruit in Southeast Asia. It is sought and savored with passion by a lot of durian lovers in Southeast Asia. It is highly valued in Southeast Asian countries. 

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Although its renown is spreading, it is still not widely known in the western hemisphere, especially in America. However, durian has made a showing in the dishes of Southeast Asia. It is considerably common in Southeast Asian cuisine, especially in desserts such as durian ice cream and durian cake.

Photo taken from Google