Jackwood (Artocarpus heterophyllus): Properties & Uses

What Jackwood Is

Jackwood is the timber of the jackfruit tree, Artocarpus heterophyllus, a member of the Moraceae family that also includes figs, mulberries and breadfruit.1 The tree is best known worldwide for its enormous edible fruit, and its wood trades under the name jackwood while the standing tree is called jackfruit. In practice almost all jackwood entering the timber trade is a by-product of fruit and homestead cultivation rather than felling from natural forest.2 It is a medium-density decorative hardwood, valued more for colour and joinery quality than for bulk structural strength.3

Where It Grows

The species is thought to have originated in the Western Ghats of southern India, though its exact wild range is uncertain.4 It is now cultivated across the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China and mainland and island South-East Asia, and has spread further to tropical Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean.1 Within India it is common in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and the eastern and north-eastern states. Because most trees stand in orchards and homestead plots, the timber supply follows the fruit economy rather than organised forestry.2

Appearance and Grain

Freshly cut heartwood is orange to golden-yellow and darkens on exposure through brown to a rich red or mahogany-red, while the pale sapwood is clearly separated from it.2 The grain is usually straight to slightly interlocked, with a medium to coarse but even texture and a natural lustre. The colour deepens attractively as the wood ages and it takes a fine polish, giving finished pieces a mahogany-like appearance that has long made it a favourite for cabinetry in South India and Sri Lanka.1

Weight, Density and Strength

Across the genus, PROSEA records an air-dry density of about 420-710 kg/m³ (26-44 lb/ft³) at 12-15% moisture, the figure varying with growth site and girth; most Kerala furniture-grade stock lands in the middle of that band.3 The same source puts its modulus of rupture at roughly 53-107 MPa and its modulus of elasticity at about 8.7-15.5 GPa, which works out to overall strength in the region of 75-80% that of teak.3 For comparison, okoume is a lightweight plywood timber at around 430 kg/m³ with a Janka hardness near 400 lbf, so jackwood is markedly heavier, harder and stronger and serves an entirely different role.5

Working, Gluing and Finishing

Jackwood works well with both hand and machine tools, turns and carves cleanly, glues satisfactorily and takes stain, polish and natural finishes beautifully.3 The main cautions are that interlocked grain can tear on quarter-sawn faces during planing, and that pre-boring is advisable for nails and screws near board ends. It seasons readily with little checking or distortion, which is one reason it is so widely used for furniture and fitted joinery.2

Durability and Treatment

The heartwood is naturally durable, resistant to termite attack and fairly resistant to fungal and bacterial decay, and it is often rated superior to teak for furniture work.2 The pale sapwood, by contrast, is not durable and is liable to borer and stain, so it should be excluded from exposed or load-bearing work.3 These are natural tendencies of the timber rather than guaranteed performance figures, and durability varies with the individual log and its exposure.

Sustainability and Legality

Jackwood is not assessed as a threatened species on the IUCN Red List and is not listed on CITES, reflecting its status as a very widely cultivated crop tree.6 Because most timber comes from homestead and orchard trees felled at the end of their fruiting life, jackwood supply is essentially a renewable by-product of fruit cultivation. (A few wild relatives in the genus are threatened, but those are separate species.)1

How Cochin Wood Uses Jackwood

At Cochin Wood Industries jackwood is a workhorse of our packing side rather than a face-veneer timber. The jackfruit tree is common across Kerala, and its dense, termite-resistant hardwood makes excellent solid runners and framing members inside packing cases and crates. We use jackwood for the load-bearing skids, bearers and internal framing that carry heavy engineering goods, where its weight, hardness and natural durability earn their keep. It complements our plywood panels: the ply forms the walls and lids while jackwood and other packing hardwoods form the structural skeleton. See our Sawn timber and Plywood boxes & crates pages for how these come together, or browse All species for related timbers.