Sea apple
Syzygium grande

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows up to 30 m tall with a spread of 5 m. The stem is erect and sturdy. The leaves are shiny green. They are long and taper towards the ends. The flowers are white. They form a fluffy head due to the long stamens. They occur in clusters at the ends of branches. The fruit are green and pear shaped.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is native from Burma to Malaysia. It prefers rich moist soil. It needs to be well drained. Plants do best in a sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. It often grows on sea-shores.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Cambodia, Cuba, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, North America, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand, USA, West Indies

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

The plant is grown from fresh seed. It can be grown from tip cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Cherry, Jambu ayer laut, Jambu laut, Kamao, Keriang batu, Mannam hui, Mao, Ngara ngudu gal, Pring som bork krars, Thabye-gyi, Thabye-pinbwa, Thabye-ywet-gyi, Thei-chhawl, Wa dong

Synonyms

Eugenia grandis Wight; Eugenia laosensis Gagnep.; Jambosa firma Blume; Jambosa grandis (Wight) Blume; Syzygium laosense (Gagnep.) Merr. & L. M. Perry; and others