Keledang facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keledang
Opened fruits from Borneo
Scientific classification
Genus:	Artocarpus
Species:	lanceifolius

The Artocarpus lanceifolius, also known as keledang, is a special fruit tree. People in Malay-speaking areas call it keledang. In some local places, it's known as timakon or kaliput. This tree is a type of flowering plant and belongs to the fig family. It naturally grows in Southeast Asia.

What Does the Keledang Tree Look Like?

The keledang tree can grow very tall, up to 35 meters (about 115 feet). Its main trunk, called a bole, can be as wide as 5 meters (about 16 feet). The tree has both male and female flowers on the same plant.

Its leaves are smooth and shaped like an oval or a spear. They are usually 12 to 30 centimeters (about 5-12 inches) long and 6 to 17 centimeters (about 2-7 inches) wide. The flowers grow where the leaves meet the stem.

The fruits grow in clusters and are olive to brown in color. They are about 8 to 12 centimeters (about 3-5 inches) long and 7 to 8 centimeters (about 3 inches) wide. Inside, the seeds are covered by a tasty, sweet, and juicy layer called an aril.

Whole fruits

Different Kinds of Keledang

There's a special kind of keledang found only in northeastern Borneo. Sometimes, scientists consider it a different type, called A. l. clementis. This variety has leaves that are a bit more spear-shaped. Also, its fruit has an orange aril, instead of the usual white one.

Where Does Keledang Grow?

You can find the keledang tree in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. It usually grows as a smaller tree under the taller trees in lowland and hill forests. It likes mixed dipterocarp forests and secondary forests (forests that have regrown after being cut down). It can grow at heights up to 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet) above sea level.