TROPICAL PLANT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Syzygium samarangense, Syzygium javanicum, Eugenia javanica

Wax jamboo, Java apple, Macopa
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: South India to eastern Malaysia
USDA Zone: 9-11?

This free-branching, medium sized tree similar to Malay Apple, is somewhat hardier. It also has large and wide glossy leaves and a waxy-looking fruit, probably hence the common name. The flowers and resulting fruit are not limited to the axils of the leaves and can appear on nearly any point on the surface of the trunk and branches. They are slightly fragrant, white to pale yellow, 2-3 inches wide, with four petals and countless stamens are very showy and are a rich source of nectar for honey bees. Flowers fall on the ground in 2-3 days, leaving behind the tiny fruits to mature and ripen in about 2 months. In favorable conditions, a healthy tree can produce abundant fruits and has two fruiting seasons annually, May-September and November to March. When mature, the tree is considered a heavy bearer and can yield a crop of up to 700 fruit. Fruit are are pear-shaped, 1.5-2 inches long, skin is smooth, waxy, come in varying colors ranging from white, pale green, green, pink, rose red and crimson. The reddest fruits are the sweetest and superior varieties of excellent quality are available. One of the most highly prized and sought after wax apples in Taiwan are "black pearls," which are purplish-red. Often seedless, fruits can be eaten out-of-hand. They are remarkably refreshing, juicy and quenching on a hot day. The liquid to flesh ratio of the wax apple is comparable to a watermelon. The texture is crisp, almost crunchy and juicy with a sweet, mildly scented flavor.

In Indian-Ocean-Island cuisine, the fruit is frequently used in salads, as well in with light sauteed dishes. The unripe fruits eaten with salt or dipped in a sweetish-spicy sauce.

Wax Jamboo tree usually requires very little attention and no pruning is needed. It needs adequate rainfall, some humidity and fertile soil for best growth, and is hardy to around freezing, possibly a few degrees below. Wax Jambu tree can be grown in a large container for many years, needing very little care. Just regular watering and occasional feed will be enough to get sufficient fruit to enjoy twice annually.

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