Chapter 1
The spiked king of the canopy
Chapter 2
The science of the stink
Chapter 3
A taste of the crown
Chapter 4
Durian mania and oddities
YOUR GOAL
Master of The stinky secrets of the durian king
Ch 1 · The spiked king of the canopy
misslily Durian Tree
When the night falls down, the bats fly high to make the durian grow!
misslily Field researchers and local legends document how the fruit's pungent aroma attracts tigers to crack the husks for
misslily A spiky durian plummets like a heavy weapon in a classical Renaissance fresco.
Fun Fact
Tiger treats: Wild Sumatran tigers love durians so much they will gather fallen fruits into piles and guard them fiercely from other animals.
Glossary
durian (noun)
A large, spiky tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, known for its creamy texture and intensely pungent odor. Wild trees in Southeast Asia reach forty meters high, dropping heavy, spiky fruits from the forest canopy.
A large, spiky tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, known for its creamy texture and intensely pungent odor. Wild trees in Southeast Asia reach forty meters high, dropping heavy, spiky fruits from the forest canopy.
Quiz
Roughly how high up in the rainforest canopy do durian trees typically grow and hang their fruits?
Quiz
Which large, striped carnivore is famously known to eat fallen durians in Southeast Asian jungles?
Quiz
What protective gear do durian farmers typically wear when walking through orchards during harvest season?
Quiz
Which famous 19th-century British naturalist compared the durian to almond custard and onion sauce?