Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) • Earth.com

Malay apple

(Syzygium malaccense)

galery
en

Description

Syzygium malaccense is a species of flowering tree native to Malesia and Australia. It is one of the species cultivated since prehistoric times by the Austronesian peoples. They were carried and introduced deliberately to Remote Oceania as canoe plants. In modern times, it has been introduced throughout the tropics, including many Caribbean countries and territories. Syzygium malaccense has a number of English common names. It is known as a Malay rose apple, or simply Malay apple, mountain apple, rose apple, Otaheite apple, pink satin-ash, plumrose and pommerac (derived from pomme Malac, meaning "Malayan apple" in French). Despite the fact that it is sometimes called the otaheite cashew, it is not related to cashew. While cashew nuts (but not cashew fruits) may trigger allergic reactions, rose apple fruit has not been observed to do so. In Costa Rica is known as Manzana de Agua. It is found mainly in the rainy zones on the Atlantic Coast of the country. In Colombia, Puerto Rico, and other Latin American countries is also found and known as Poma Rosa. In Papua New Guinea, it is known as laulau. The combination of tree, flowers and fruit has been praised as the most beautiful of the genus Syzygium. The fruit is oblong-shaped and dark red in color, although some varieties have white or pink skins. The flesh is white and surrounds a large seed. Its taste is bland but refreshing. Jam is prepared by stewing the flesh with brown sugar and ginger. Malay apple is a strictly tropical tree and will be damaged by freezing temperatures. It thrives in humid climates with an annual rainfall of 152 cm (60 in) or more. It can grow at a variety of altitudes, from sea level up to 2,740 m (8,990 ft). The tree can grow to 12–18 m (39–59 ft) in height. It flowers in early summer, bearing fruit three months afterward. In Costa Rica, it flowers earlier, with ripe fruit in April. Coffee growers use the species to both divert birds and provide shade. In Hawaii, Syzygium malaccense is called mountain apple. When the Polynesians reached the Hawaiian Islands, they brought plants and animals that were important to them. The mountain apple was one of these "canoe plants," arriving 1000–1700 years ago. The mountain apple is an edible fruit that can be consumed when raw and ripe. In Puerto Rico, the Malay apple is used to make wines, in Hawai'i, the fruits are consumed the same way a Pacific Northwest apple is eaten.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order:Myrtales
Family:Myrtaceae
Genus:Syzygium
News coming your way
The biggest news about our planet delivered to you each day