Honey Gold

'Honey Gold' is an Australian selection that came through the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden trial on the recommended list for Florida commercial and home garden planting. It is a small to medium-small cultivar with blocky fruit in the 10 to 12 lb range, dark yellow to orange firm flesh, and a sweet, rich flavour and aroma that the evaluators singled out. The tree is the least vigorous of the recommended Australian group, with a sparse, spreading habit and slow to moderate growth, which naturally keeps it compact without heavy intervention; Top Tropicals markets it specifically for its dwarf growth habit. Yields are modest at 77 to 110 lb per tree per year, so it is a cultivar chosen for eating quality and manageability rather than tonnage. It suits a gardener who wants a jackfruit that will not take over the yard.