[vram22]

Right, good point, I missed that earlier. Not really spikes. Even the photo at the top of the article sort of shows that. They are sharp protrusions on the surface of the skin of the fruit, but since they are not really hard, you can handle the fruit even with them being there. I've picked up heavy jackfruit a few times and not had any problem of being poked by the "spikes". And they get pretty heavy - I think 45 kg is not uncommon for a single fruit.

[hombre_fatal]

I'd definitely consider them spike-covered, though so densely packed it's perhaps not so defining.

But their mass and weight sure set them apart! They grow so god damn big it's awe-inspiring to see them on trees along side of the road or beach. As if they are the cocoons of a giant jurassic-era butterfly.

Hard not to wonder how many small animals must have been obliterated by one falling from the tree.

But also how amazing it must have been for an early human or settler to find one in the wild. The amount of fruit you can harvest from one is incredible. Thankfully people would collect them, pluck out all the meat "nodes", and sell them in little bags of 4-6 nodules. I could never eat more than 4 nodules without rummaging for something else in the pantry, they're quite boring.

[vram22]

Good points and analogy :)

The last paragraph reminds me of novels like The Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe, which were fun reading while growing up.

[Legogris]

Durian is very spiky on the other hand. I've had and seen them both and the rest of the article seems spot-on from what I can tell. It's a weird slip in something that reads so well-informed otherwise.

Jackfruit has a mild, taste with a hint of banana and is odorless. Durian reeks like a trash heap but has a sweet and a little bit sour flavour with a hint of canned pears.