Syzygium cumini

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Java plum, is a flowering evergreen and tropical tree native in India, Burma, Ceylon, Pakistan, Philippines, and Indonesia. It has been introduced in Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawai‘i, Florida, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Tonga, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Christmas Island, Australia, Africa, India, Caribbean, and South America. It was introduced to Florida in the 1920s.

It produces dark purple to black fruit with off-white flesh that can be used for jam, vinegar, etc but can be astringent if not fully ripe. Fruit matures in 90 days. Fruits are highly perishable. Fruits change their color from green to deep red or bluish black. This is a non climacteric fruit hence it dees not ripen after harvesting. Fully ripe fruits are harvested daily by hand picking or by shaking the branches and collecting the fruits on a polythene sheet. Needs a number of pickings, since all fruits do not ripen at a time. In India, the fruits are harvested by hand as they ripen and this requires several pickings over the season. Indian horticulturists have reported a crop of 700 fruits from a 5-year-old tree. The production of a large tree may be overwhelming to the average homeowner.

The jambolan tree is of real value in apiculture. The flowers have abundant nectar and are visited by bees (Apis dorsata) throughout the day, furnishing most of the honey in the Western Ghats.

The essential oil distilled from the leaves is used to scent soap and is blended with other materials in making inexpensive perfume.

Jambolan bark yields durable brown dyes of various shades depending on the mordant and the strength of the extract. The bark contains 8 to 19% tannin and is much used in tanning leather and preserving fishing nets.

The wood is water resistant. Because of this it is used in railway sleepers and to install motors in wells. It is sometimes used to make cheap furniture and village dwellings though it is relatively hard to work on.

This tree reaches 30ft and more in height in its natural habitat. It naturally occurs in loams, clays and sandy areas.

Similar plants:

• Syzygium antisepticum, Syzygium gratum, Eugenia glaucicalyx, Eugenia grata, Syzygium glaucicalyx (Kalaum, Malaruhat)
• Syzygium aqueum, Eugenia aquea (Water Cherry, Watery Rose Apple)
• Syzygium aromaticum, Caryophyllus aromaticus, Eugenia caryophyllata, Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove, Cloves)
• Syzygium australe (Scrub Cherry)
• Syzygium campanulatum, Syzygium myrtifolium, Eugenia oleina (Wild Cinnamon)
• Syzygium contractum (Bois de Pomme, Bois Boeuf)
• Syzygium grande, Eugenia firma, Eugenia grandis (Sea Apple)
• Syzygium jambos, Eugenia jambos, Jambosa jambos (Rose apple, Malabar Plum, Pomme rosa)
• Syzygium luehmannii (Small Leaved Lilly Pilly)
• Syzygium malaccense, Eugenia malaccensis, Jambos malaccensis (Malay Apple, Macopa, Otaheite Apple, Pomarosa, Manzana)