Rose apple, Jambos
Syzygium jambos

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows up to 7.5-15 m tall and with a spread of 4 m. It can be a small shrub. The stem is erect and 20-40 cm across. The branches hang downwards. The bark is greyish-green. The young twigs are either flattened of somewhat square in cross section. The leaves are simple, thick and shiny. The leaves are narrow and pointed (10-20 cm long and 3-4 cm wide). They taper towards both ends. Young leaves are brownish red coloured. The leaves have 16-18 pairs of side veins which join near the edge of the leaf. The leaf stalk is 1 cm long. The flowers are large (4-5 cm) and greenish-white and fluffy. They occur in clusters at the ends of branches. The fruit is rose scented and apple like. They are dull yellow and tinged pink. Fruit are 4 cm across. The fruit have a distinct crown at the end. They contain 1 or 2 large seeds. The seeds are pale brown. The fruit is edible.

It has anticancer properties.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It needs adequate moisture and suits the warm moist tropics. It can't stand waterlogging. It prefers a rich well composted soil but will do well on poorer soils. It does best in an open sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. It is often along stream banks. It does well near the sea shore. Young plants need shade and moisture but established trees can tolerate harder conditions. It probably grows up to about 1200 metres above sea level in equatorial regions but near the altitudinal and latitudinal limits it produces no fruit. Trees can grow on a variety of soils. A pH between 5.5 and 7 is recommended. In Nepal it grows between 600-1400 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Andamans, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter island, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, FSM, Ghana, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Marquesas, Mexico, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, North America, Northeastern India, Jamaica, Kenya, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Rotuma, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia (country/location of origin), Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Uganda, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, West Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw. They are poor as a dessert fruit but because of the sweet rose smell are often crystallised and used in sweets. They can be used for jams and jellies. (It is good to mix with other fruits as rose apple helps the jam to set.) The flowers are candied.

Not widely grown or used in Papua New Guinea. In Asia it is cultivated for its edible fruit. Thailand produces about 70,000 tons each year.

Edible parts

Fruit, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. Seeds germinate well and have no dormancy. Seeds often give rise to more than one seedling. These can be carefully separated when young. As fruit quality varies it is best to preserve better kinds of trees using vegetative propagation methods. Plants can be grafted or budded if needed. Cuttings root fairly easily in sand. Tip cuttings are suitable. Trees need to be 6-8 metres apart. It can be grown as a hedge.

Trees grow slowly. They start bearing when 4-5 years old. Fruiting is normally seasonal but over a long season. In the northern hemisphere it flowers from April to May and fruit ripen July to August. A tree can produce 400 fruit is a season.

Its other names

Local names

Apeltik, Apolsikisik, Chieng, Chom pu nam, Chom pu, Chomphu-namdokmai, Chumpu sa, Farang nam, Gioi, Golabjamli, Golap jam, Golapi jamu, Gulaab jaam, Gulab jamun, Gulabjamb, Gulap jam, Hnin-thi-pin, Jambavam, Jambo-branco, Jambu bulu, Jambu desrana, Jambu kelampok, Jambi kraton, Jambu mawar, Jambuneereedu, Jamrul, Jamudolo, Jamun, Kavika ni vavalagi, Malabar-plum, Malakkachampa, Manomhom, Manzana rosa, Mirto del rio, Mjambosa, Mjamini, Pannerale, Pannirkoyya, Perunaval, Pomarrosa, Pommeroos, Rose-apple, Sambunaval, Seeni jambu, Tampoy, Thabu-thabye, Varotra, Veli jambu, Yambo, Yamu-panawa, Zama, Zamborozana

Synonyms

Eugenia jambos L.; Jambosa jambos (L.) Millsp.; Jambosa vulgaris DC; Myrtus jambos (L.) Kunth.; Caryophyllus jambos (L.) Stokes; and others