The notorious king of fruit, durian has a distinctively explosive smell that leaves people either loving or hating it. Sri Lanka is not really famous for its durians, since the supply is not that large. However, there are quite a few places in the south of the country to get some good durians. Moreover, the Sri Lankan taste of durian might be a bit different from other regions due to peculiarities of its nature.
The Portuguese brought Durian to Sri Lanka in the 16th century from Southeast Asia. The name originates from Malaysian “duri”, which means thorn. The climate of Sri Lanka is not really suitable to grow durian, however it can be easily found at markets of resort towns of the southern coast during the harvest season.
A Sri Lankan variety of durian is mostly local plants that grow naturally around the villages and in home gardens. However, some farmers are trying to grow a cultivated durian for commercial purposes. Durian trees are quite large, between 25 and 50 m (86-164 ft) in height. The fruit can grow up to 30 cm (12 in) and weigh up to 3 kg (7 lb). In Sri Lanka, it is grown in Kandy, Matale, Kalutara, and Kegalle districts. Durian plantation was planned to be expanded in Minuwangoda, Gampaha district.
