Golden apple, Polynesian plum
Spondias dulcis

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

Often a Golden apple tree grows to a large tree which can be up to 30 m high but is more often 15 m high in cultivation. It has a trunk 60 cm across which can have buttresses. The bark on the trunk of the tree is fairly smooth. The twigs break off easily. The wood is soft and not much use. The leaf is made up of 4 to 12 pairs of leaflets which have fine teeth around the edge. The leaves are 20-30 cm long. The leaves are smooth and dark green on top and pale green underneath. The leaves are alternate. The leaves of the tree fall off for a part of the year. The old leaves wither to a bright yellow colour. The flowers are produced near the ends of the branches and mostly the flowers develop before the new young leaves grow. The flowers occur as several flowers on long stalks. The flower panicle is 15 to 30 cm long. The flowers are small and white. They look something like a mango flower. The fruit is yellow, oval and up to 7 cm long and 4 cm across. Sometimes the outside of the fruit has a mottled black colour. There is one large stone inside divided into 5 cells with a seed in each. The stone is branched and has fibres.

In Cairns Botanical Garden as Eva dulcis.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. They occur in well drained soils or in dry forests. It occurs in the lowland rainforest and in valleys up to about 950 m altitude in the equatorial tropics. It suits humid locations. They suit warm tropical and subtropical climates and are frost tender. Flowering is normally during the dry season. This may be important for fruit set. The trees also grow in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and a number of other Pacific countries. It has also been taken to other tropical countries. This species covers a full range from being a wild un-utilised tree in some areas to a planted, pruned and highly regarded village fruit tree in other areas. It is better suited to deeper alluvial soils and rarely occurs on limestone with a thin clay soil cover. Trees often grow as a pioneer tree on landslides. The wild trees are probably spread around by birds, pigs and people.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, American Samoa, Andamans, Antigua and Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bougainville, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America, Christmas Island, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Fiji, French Polynesia, FSM, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia (country/location of origin), Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marquesas, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niue, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific (country/location of origin), Papua New Guinea (country/location of origin), Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Polynesia, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Rotuma, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Tahiti, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

Fruit are eaten after peeling. They are eaten raw or pickled. The fruit are also dried and used in curries. The young leaves are edible raw or cooked. They are used as a souring agent. The kernel of the seed may be edible. (Some fruit are poor size and very sour.) The fruit are also used for sweet drinks and made into jams and chutneys. Green fruit are pickled.

Moderately common in lowland rainforests in Papua New Guinea and also grown in villages. Fruit quality varies. It is common and popular in Vietnam. Fruit are sold in local markets. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Trees are mostly grown from seed and often grows wild. Flowers are bisexual and there are no apparent pollination problems. The seeds do not produce true to type so that poor and sour fruit are often produced. Seed normally germinate within one month. It is possible to grow plants from cuttings although it is difficult. Large cuttings should be used. Doing this would enable better types of fruit to be re-grown. It can also be grown using budding. Seedling trees are larger and more vigorous than budded or grafted trees. Tree spacing varies from 7.5 m to 12 m. Young trees benefit by shade during their first year. The top can be cut off trees to give a lower and more spreading tree. Large cuttings can be used with difficulty. Trees can be topped to give a lower tree with spreading branches.

Trees may bear from 4-5 years old from seed. Cuttings take 2-3 years. Fruiting occurs seasonally from Jan. to April in the southern hemisphere. Fruit matures in about 200 days.

Its other names

Local names

Aceitero, Ainakori, Aio, Aioo kwai, Alabbyud, Ambarella, Amra, Auri, Bi, Bilati amra, Bogwia, Cajamanga, Cajarana, Caju-manga, Ciruela dulce, Citero, Doismango, Emberrela, Gnoe, Gway, Gwe-cho, Hevi, Hog plum, Jew plum, Kalok, Kedongdong jawa, Kedongdong, Kedongdong manis, Makaw farang, Makok-farang, Ma kok waan, Malai, Mkak, Moimbakam, Ngongoe, Noli, Nyia tevi, Opiti, Otaheite apple, Piraka, Polynesian vi apple, Sangop, Taperiba, Tevi, Trai coc, Ughi, Uhigai, Uli, Uuli auki, Vi, Vi-apple, Viteletele, Vivisi, Wi-tree, Wi, Yuplon

Synonyms

Evia dulcis (Parkinson) Spondias cytherea Sonnerat; Spondias mangifera Willd.;