Syzygium wilsonii

Description

A shrub. It grows to 3-6 m tall. It spreads 2-3.5 m wide. It has a spreading habit often with branches that hang down. The leaves are stiff and narrow. They are 18 cm long by 5 cm wide. The leaves are dark green and dull on the upper surface and paler underneath. There are 2 veins near the edge of the leaves that are more clearly seen under the leaf. New leaves are bright red. The flowers occur in dense clusters and are bright red. They hang from the ends of small branches. The fruit are oval and cream. They are about 1.5 cm across. The fruit are edible. There is one seed inside. It is about 5-9 mm across.

Edible Uses

We have no specific information on edibility for the fruit of this species, but the fruits of many members of this genus are edible. The white, broadly obovoid to globular fruits are about 8 - 10mm in diameter; the thin layer of succulent flesh surrounding a large seed.

Distribution

It grows in warm temperate regions but will grow in the tropics and subtropics. It grows naturally in north east Queensland in Australia. It occurs in lowland rainforest. Plants cannot tolerate drying out especially when young. It does best in light shade. In Adelaide Botanical Gardens hot house. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from fresh seed or cuttings.

Propagation

Seed - sown fresh it germinates within a few weeks. Cuttings are somewhat slow to root, but produce early-flowering plants.

Other Uses

The boles are seldom large enough to be milled, but the subspecies Syzygium wilsonii cryptophlebium sometimes becomes large enough to produce a useful structural timber. 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.

Production

It Australia the fruit get ripe from October to January.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Pom-pom bush

References (13)

• Cooper W & Cooper W T, 1994, Fruits of the Rain Forest. RD Press p 280
• Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 370
• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1393
• Greig, D., 1996, Flowering Natives for Home Gardens. Angus & Robertson. p 312
• Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 296

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