Durian

Description:

Yellowish white flowers develop into a spiky fruit weighing 2-7 lbs.

Habitat:

Tropical rainforest orchard.

Notes:

The smooth, round green things in the picture are the unopened flower buds; the spiky thing is a baby fruit. Organically grown in an orchard, this is a real cash crop bringing $8-15 per fruit. It is not invasive and is solely a cultivar, originating in the southeast Asian islands. I imagine this farmer sells it at the Hilo Farmer's Market. The smell of the fruit, I'm told, is used to give propane its characteristic warning odor. A friend in New York City reported that the fire department was called by neighbors when he opened a durian in his apartment, worried about the possibility of another propane explosion (there had been a recent disaster there).