Syzygium malaccense


Starr 070321-6135 Syzygium malaccense.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   tree

Height: 40 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 40. to 80 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 80.
Width: 15 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Lifespan: perennial
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
Features: edible, fruit
USDA Zones: 10 to 12
Flower features: blue, purple, white
Scientific Names

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Syzygium malaccense, commonly known as Malacca Apple, is a species of flowering tree that is native to Malaysia and Indonesia (Sumatra and Java).[1] It has been introduced throughout the tropics, including many Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Suriname, Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago. It is also known as jambu bol (Indonesian, meaning "ball guava"), Malay Rose Apple, Otaheite Cashew and Pommerac (derived from pomme Malac, meaning "Malaysian Apple" in French). Highly ambiguous terms, such as "rose apple", "water apple", "mountain apple", "pomarrosa" or "plum rose" are sometimes used for this plant or its fruit; they can refer to almost any species of Syzygium grown for its fruit. The name "Otaheite apple" is used too (in Jamaica), but should better be used for the Tahitian Apple (Spondias dulcis); "Otaheite" is an obsolete transcription of "Tahiti". Its Hawaiian name is Template:OkinaōhiTemplate:Okinaa Template:Okinaai, meaning "edible Metrosideros polymorpha".

The fruit is oblong-shaped and dark red in color, although some varieties have white or pink skin. The flesh is white and surrounds a large seed. Jam is prepared by stewing the flesh with brown sugar and ginger.

Malacca Apple trees thrive in tropical climates with an annual rainfall of 152 cm in or more. They can grow at a variety of altitudes, from sea level up to 2740 m ft . The trees themselves can grow from 12 - 18 m in height. They flower in early summer, bearing fruit three months afterward. In Costa Rica they flower earlier, with ripe fruit in June.

In Hawaii Syzygium malaccense is called Mountain apple, and was brought to the islands by Polynesians probably 1000 to 1700 years ago. The Polynesians reached the Hawaiian islands bringing plants and animals that were important to them. Mountain apple was one of the 'canoe plants'.[2]


Read about Syzygium malaccense in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Syzygium malaccense (Eugenia malaccensis, Linn. K. macrophylla, Lam., not Berg. Jambosa malaccensis, DC.). Large-fruited Rose Apple. Jambos. Glabrous tree: Lvs. oblong to elliptic, acute, 5-10 in. long, 2-4 in. wide: fls. purple: fr. fragrant, red, obovoid, about 2 in. diam., with apple- like flavor. Polynesia.—More tender than E. Jambos, but the foliage more luxuriant and the Its. larger. CH


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Cultivation

Propagation

Pests and diseases

Varieties

Gallery

References

  1. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GRIN
  2. [Whistler, W. Arthur. 2009. Plants of the Canoe People. National Tropical Botanical Garden.].

External links