Breadnut (Maya nut)

Brosimum alicastrum

Seeds that taste like roasted chestnut or coffee; a forest staple of the Maya.

Type: canopy tree · nut trees
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: part shade
Size: about 80 ft tall, 50 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: Central America
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, wildlife.

Native to: Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean, Tropical South America. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.

The story

Breadnut, the Maya nut, fed the Classic Maya cities; the seeds were boiled, roasted and ground into flour and stored for years, and the trees still crowd ancient sites because the Maya planted them. Central American communities are reviving it as a drought-proof food.

Planting

Part shade when young, any drained soil, heat, and no frost; a huge forest tree. Plant seed fresh in the tropics; it tolerates drought and poor soil.

Growing

Water young trees; after that it needs nothing. It takes years to bear and then drops tons of seed.

Harvest and use

Fruit falls in the dry season; boil the seeds 30 minutes and eat like potato, or roast and grind into a coffee-like drink and flour.

What to watch for

Cold; nothing else of note.

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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home