Syzygium malaccense

Syzygium malaccense
Mountain Apple redirects here. For the record label, see Mountain Apple Company
Malacca Apple
Conservation status
Rare (NCA)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Syzygium
Species: S. malaccense
Binomial name
Syzygium malaccense
(L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry, 1938
Synonyms

Caryophyllus malaccensis (L.) Stokes
Eugenia malaccensis L.[1]

Syzygium malaccense, commonly known as Malay Apple, is a species of flowering tree that is native to Malaysia,[1] Indonesia (Sumatra and Java)[1] and Southern Vietnam. 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 merah (Malaysian language, meaning "red guava"), 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 ʻōhiʻa ʻai In Tonga it is known as fekika, and in Fiji, kavika.

The combination of tree, flowers and fruit has been praised as the most beautiful of the Myrtaceae family.[2] 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.

Malay apple is a strictly tropical tree that is damaged by freezing temperatures.[3] It thrives in humid climates with an annual rainfall of 152 cm (60 in) or more. They can grow at a variety of altitudes, from sea level up to 2,740 m (8,990 ft). The trees themselves can grow to 12–18 m (39–59 ft) in height. They flower in early summer, bearing fruit three months afterward. In Costa Rica they flower earlier, with ripe fruit in April. They are used by coffee growers to divert birds.

In Hawaii Syzygium malaccense is called Mountain apple. The Polynesians reached the Hawaiian islands, bringing plants and animals that were important to them. Mountain apple was one of these "canoe plants" that arrived 1000 to 1700 years ago.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-03-26. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?70774. Retrieved 2009-11-20. 
  2. ^ Morton, Julia (1987). Fruits of Warm Climates. Florida Flair Books. pp. 505. ISBN 978-0961018412. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/malay_apple.html. 
  3. ^ "Malay Apple". Plant Characteristics. Pine Island Nursery. http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/fruitproducts_m.htm. 
  4. ^ Whistler, W. Arthur (2009). Plants of the canoe people: an ethnobotanical voyage through Polynesia. National Tropical Botanical Garden. pp. 241. ISBN 9780915809004. 


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