Lady apple, Red bush apple
Syzygium suborbiculare

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 8-12 m tall. It has an upright form and a rounded crown. The bark is slightly rough, tightly attached and is grey-brown. The leaves are oval to roundish, opposite and smooth. They are 7-19 cm long by 4-13 cm wide. They are glossy and dark green on the upper surface and paler underneath. They have a short pointed tip. The flowers are large. They have numerous stamens. The flowers are 3-5 cm long by 2.5-3 cm wide and carried in dense clusters at the ends of branches. The fruit can occur either singly or in bunches. The fruit is round but flattened and fleshy. It is 3-7 cm long by 3.5-9 cm wide. It has distinct ribs and is red when ripe. The flesh around the seed is 1 cm thick. It is crunchy and bluish-pink in colour. It is edible. There is one large seed inside. The seed is about 3.5-5 cm across. It looks like a large apricot stone.

It has medicinal uses. The fruit is high in Vit C.

Where it is found

It is a tropical tree. It occurs as an understorey tree to open forest. It also grows in rainforest. It occurs on well drained soils and sandy soils. It can tolerate fire because it produces a lignotuber under the ground. It can re-grow from this tuber. During drought it can lose most of its leaves. It tolerates salty winds.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), Indonesia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Torres Strait

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They can be used in cooking or for sauces and relishes.

A popular food in northern Australia.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

It can be grown from fresh seed. Branches are low making harvesting easy. Fruit should be harvested when ripe before fruit fall.

Seedling growth can be rapid. Flowering occurs July to October in Australia and fruiting is October to February. It can produce fruit during any month but tends to fruit during the wet season. The quality of the fruit varies between trees.

Its other names

Local names

E-sie, Ilara, Kaway, Narrani, Oloorgo, Pinyawini, Pudginjacker, Purringawuni, Wurringawuni, Yinumaninga

Synonyms

Careya jambosoides Lauterb.; Eugenia jambosoides (Lauterb.) O. Schwarz; Eugenia suborbicularis Benth.; Syzygium jambosoides (Lauterb.) Merr. & L. M. Perry;