Monthong Durian Tree

About the Monthong Durian Tree

Monthong is Thailand's best-known durian: large, spiky fruit holding thick lobes of pale-gold, custard-soft flesh with a rich, sweet, almond-and-caramel flavour and a milder aroma than many other durians. Called the king of fruits across Southeast Asia, it is a statement tree for serious tropical growers. Durian needs genuine lowland tropics: steady heat, high humidity, abundant rain and deep, well-drained soil. In Mexico it suits the warm, wet lowlands of Chiapas, Tabasco and southern Veracruz, and well-watered gardens on the Yucatán Peninsula. Grown on our farms in Yucatán and Chiapas and shipped via DHL.

How to Care for It

Plant in full sun (light shade while young) in deep, rich, well-drained soil; durian hates waterlogging. Keep the soil evenly moist year-round and mulch heavily. Feed young trees little and often with balanced fertiliser plus compost. Protect from strong wind and any temperature below about 10 °C. Prune only to shape a strong central leader and remove weak or crossing branches.

Grow fruit most people have never tasted. Our exotic fruit trees, from Monthong durian and Emperor lychee to jaboticaba, achachairú and red finger lime, are raised on our farms in Yucatán and Chiapas and shipped by DHL across Mexico. Most love heat and humidity; several do beautifully in large pots.

Growing Profile

Botanical name

Durio zibethinus 'Monthong'

Family

Malvaceae

Native to

Southeast Asia

Mature height

10–20 m

Plant spacing

10 m

Years to first fruit

5–8 years

Light

Full sun

Water

High, keep moist

Cold tolerance

down to 10 °C

Best climates

Humid tropics

Grows in a pot

Best in the ground

Ships from

Our farms in Yucatán & Chiapas