Syzygium samarangense

Syzygium samarangense is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, native to an area that includes the Greater Sunda Islands, Malay Peninsula, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but introduced in prehistoric times to a wider area and now widely cultivated in the tropics. Common names in English include wax apple, Java apple, Semarang rose-apple, and wax jambu.

Description

A tree up to 15 m high that branches near the base giving a spreading open tree. The leaves are smaller (25 cm x 10 cm) and more pointed than Malay apple and on short stalks. Flowers are about 3 cm wide and white. They are on leafy twigs. It produces clusters of attractive glossy pink waxy looking fruit. Fruit are 3 cm long and 3-5 cm wide. At the end of the fruit there is a cavity almost enclosed by four lobes. The fruit has a waxy skin and crispy flesh.

Edible Uses

Several cultivars with larger fruit have been selected. In general, the paler or darker the color, the sweeter it is. In Southeast Asia, the black ones are nicknamed "Black Pearl" or "Black Diamond", while the very pale greenish-white ones, called "Pearl", are among the highest-priced ones in fruit markets. The fruit is often served uncut, but with the core removed, to preserve the unique bell-shaped presentation. In the Indian Ocean islands cuisine, the fruit is frequently used in salads, as well as in lightly sautéed dishes. It is mainly eaten as a fruit and also used to make pickles called chambakka achar. In the Philippines, its local name is macopa or makopa. Its precolonial name is dambo. Because of their similarity in appearance, it is often confused with tambis (Syzygium aqueum), although the latter is more commonly cultivated.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh with salt or cooked as a sauce or stewed with apples. The fruit have little taste.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Various parts of the tree are used in traditional medicine, and some have in fact been shown to possess antibiotic activity. The plant contains tannins and is astringent. In particular the bark, leaves and roots of Malay apple are used against different ailments. The flowers are astringent and are used to treat fevers and halt diarrhoea. The principal active constituent is tannin, though the flowers also contain desmethoxymatteucinol, 5-O-methyl-4'-desmethoxymatteucinol, oleanic acid and B-sitosterol. In tests, the flowers show weak antibiotic action against Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis, and Candida albicans.

Distribution

A tropical plant. Trees grow in coastal areas in the tropics. They need a deep fertile soil. It needs adequate rainfall and some humidity. In Samoa it grows from sea level to 930 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. In XTBG Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Amazon, American Samoa, Andamans, Aruba, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Guam, Guianas, India (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Laos, Malaysia*, Maldives, Micronesia, Myanmar, Niue, Northeastern India, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Rotuma, Samoa, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Indies,

Cultivation

Plants are mainly raised from seeds. Fresh seeds must be used. Often few seeds are produced. They can be propagated by air layering or budding. Girdling of the shoots and using rooting hormones enables cuttings to be used for propagation. A spacing of 8-10 m apart is suitable.

Propagation

Seed - needs to be sown fresh from the fruit because it has a limited viability. Give shade to the seedlings when young. Air layering.

Other Uses

The wood is reddish, coarse and hard. It can grow to dimensions large enough for construction purposes, and is sometimes used for constructing huts. We do not have any more specific information for the wood of this species, but the various species of Syzygium tend to have somewhat similar timber. The general description of syzygium timber is as follows:- The heartwood is a golden brown, greyish brown or brown, with pink or purplish glints; it is not clearly demarcated from the 1 - 4cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is fine; the grain slightly interlocked, sometimes wavy or irregular; there are resin deposits. The wood is heavy; moderately hard; somewhat durable, being moderately resistant to fungi and termites, but susceptible to dry wood borers. It seasons slowly, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. It works well with ordinary tools, nailing and screwing are good so long as the wood is pre-bored; gluing is correct. The wood is used for musical instruments, tool handles, furniture components, ship building, heavy carpentry, flooring, joinery etc. The tree is fast-growing and develops a dense, very dark green crown, making it an excellent windbreak.

Production

It is fast growing. Trees start fruiting when quite small. Fruit production is seasonal. Normally large numbers of fruit are produced. Fruit mature in 30-40 days. In Northeastern India fruit are available May to November.

Other Information

This is not a common fruit tree in Papua New Guinea. Where it occurs fruit quality is poor.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Amrool, Curacaouse apple, Gulaabijaamichettu, Gulabijaamikaayalu, Indahu, Jambo-rosa, Jambu gas, Jamrul, Kanlan rehs, Makopa, Mamhofu, Mankil, Nakavika, Nonu vao, Panee jamun, Paninir champa, Pohon jambu air, Semarang rose-apple, Tuii chamboo, Tunipkam, Twi-jambo

References (50)

• Alegado, A. M. & De Guzman, R. B., 2014, Indigenous food crops of the Aetas tribe in the Philippines and their traditional methods of food preparation. in Promotion of Underutilized Indigenous Food Resources for Food Security and Nutrition in Asia and Pacific. FAO. Bangkok p 160
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 615
• Argent, G et al, nd, Manual of the Larger and More important non Dipterocarp Trees of Central Kalimantan Indonesia. Volume 2 Forest Research Institute, Samarinda, Indonesia. p 473
• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 89
• Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 394

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