DURIAN GD69 and the Man Behind The Variety

If there is one fruit that has gained notoriety for its reputation as the fruit that smells like hell but tastes like heaven, it is the Durian (Durio zibethinus). It also has a thorny shell that has not stopped it from reigning as the king of fruits in Asia. Some love it and some hate it. Some would devote years to get the best flavor, texture of flesh, and yield. One of them is Mr. Angel Tirona Galang.

In Davao City where durian thrives and serves as one of its icons, Mr. Galang planted more than 300 trees from the University of the Philippines in Los Banos courtesy of his daughter’s father-in-law, the late Dean Dr. Dioscoro L. Umali, and diligently took note of the characteristics of each. He observed that one of his Chanee trees (Thailand variety) yielded tastier fruits, different from the rest of its cultivar.

Intrigued with the peculiarity, staff from the Department of Agriculture sampled the fruit and referred to it as Galang’s Durian Tree No. 69 or GD69. Cuttings from the branch core bore fruit that exhibited the outstanding qualities of having thin rind, thick and buttery flesh that is deep yellow in color, and tastier. It also has a milder aroma than the native variety.

GD69 was registered with the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) under Mr. Angel Tirona Galang and was awarded Best Durian for the Introduced Variety category during the 17th Kadayawan Festival in 2003.

Its limited availability has made GD69 much sought after by the Durian cult.

Garden Classics Davao is the official distributor and seller of GD69. (https://www.facebook.com/gardenclassicsdavao?mibextid=ZbWKwL)

Reposted from The Ida Chronicles September 17, 2023

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