Which tree species is the source of the tropical fruit durian?

The tropical fruit durian comes from the tree species Durio zibethinus.

Durio zibethinus is native to Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula. It is the best-known member of the genus Durio and the only durian species traded widely on the international market. The fruit’s large, thorn-covered husk protects creamy flesh whose strong aroma has made durian famous as both the “king of fruits” and one of the world’s most polarizing foods.

Durian is not a single uniform fruit in cultivation. Hundreds of named cultivars have been selected for differences in sweetness, aroma, flesh colour, seed size, and harvest timing. Thailand and Malaysia are especially associated with major cultivar traditions, including Monthong, Chanee, and Musang King.

The genus contains about 30 recognised species, and at least nine produce edible fruit, so “durian” can refer more broadly to several species. In ordinary commercial and quiz usage, however, Durio zibethinus is the canonical answer. Its flowers are commonly pollinated by nectar- and pollen-feeding bats, which visit the flowers at night.