Syzygium - Plant Encyclopedia Results (Page 2)

The fruit is a fleshy yellow or red berry which is bell shaped, waxy and crisp.

The Latin word clavus means 'nail shaped', referring to the bud. The dried flower buds of this tree are the cloves of commerce and used medicinally for countless things. All parts of the tree are highly aromatic.

Cloves are an ancient spice and, because of their exceptional aromatic strength, have always been held in high esteem by cooks in Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. The tree is endemic in the North Moluccas (Indonesia). After the end of the Dutch monopoly (18th century), clove trees were introduced to other countries for cultivation. The first recorded use of cloves is by the Chinese in the 1st century B.C. In China. They were not only used for cooking but also for deodorization. During the Han dynasty (207 B. C. to 220 A. D.) those who addressed the Chinese emperor were required to hold cloves in their mouths to mask bad breath. The active ingredient, Eugenol, is still used to flavor the tooth paste. Arab traders brought cloves to Europe in the time of the Romans. At that time cloves were still very expensive. Clove first arrived in Europe around the 4th century A.D. as a highly coveted luxury.

The most important production area today is the island of Pemba near Zanzibar in Tanzania. The whole island of Pemba is covered with clove gardens, and it is reported that the island can be smelled on any ship approaching it.

In Europe cloves are used for special types of sweets or sweet breads, and for stewed fruits. Plain rice is often flavored by one or two cloves. In France, cloves often go into meat stews or broths. In England, they are most popular in pickles. Indonesians are the main consumers of cloves and use up nearly 50 percent of the world's production, not for cooking but rather for smoking. Cigarettes flavored with cloves (kretek) are extremely popular and nearly every Indonesian enjoys them. Their sweet, incense-like aroma pervades Indonesian restaurants, buses, markets and offices.

Clove is much used in perfumes, liqueurs, and love potions. It has antiseptic properties and was used in the prevention of contagious diseases, such as the Plaque. Traditional Chinese physicians have long used the plant to treat almost everything. India's traditional Ayurvedic healers have used clove since ancient times to treat respiratory and digestive ailments. The medieval German herbalists used cloves as part of anti-gout mixture. Contemporary herbalists recommend clove for digestive complaints and its oil for toothache. However, clove oil shouldn't be used in massaging or in baths, it may irritate the skin.

Clove is an ultra-tropical small size tree which will not survive temperatures below 50F. It requires a humid, warm tropical climate with lots of water year-round. It can be grown in greenhouse outside of tropics. Indoor cultivation is problematic mostly because of lack of air humidity that this plant needs for successful growth.

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.

Native to Malaysia, Malay Apple was an important fruit of the Polynesians, and was later distributed to the America's on Captain Bligh's voyages throughout the tropics, including many Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Suriname, Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago. It has been also spread through much of southeast Asia and the Pacific islands, now common growing wild on the Hawaiian islands. It was brought into Hawaii by Polynesians probably 1000 to 1700 years ago. The Polynesians reached the Hawaiian islands bringing plants and animals that were important to them, and Mountain apple, as it is called in Hawaii, was one of the 'canoe plants'.

This plant grows to over 60 ft in tropics in mid-elevation rain forest areas, often as large understory tree. The evergreen leaves are opposite, soft leathery and dark green; the flowers are purplish-red and form a carpet after falling under the tree. Flowering usually occurs in early summer followed by fruit ripening 3 months later. The beautiful pear shaped fruit is about the size of an apple, deep red in color, white flesh and a waxy skin. The flesh is crunchy, often juicy, with a mild sweet flavor.

Fruit are mostly eaten fresh and chilled and make great thirst quenching snacks. The fruit can also be used to make wines. The plant has important medicinal value in many tropical countries.

Malay Apple requires tropical conditions and is too tender to grow outdoors in areas with even occasional frost. Often trees will have leaf damage at temperatures well above freezing. Trees also do not like poorly drained soils, so if planted in areas with high water tables should be planted on slightly raised mounds to give them more room for the roots during periods of high rainfall. It does not succeed as well at sea level. Other than that, it requires little care providing year-round water.

Native to temperate and tropical rainforests of Australia's east coast, The Brush Cherry is a small tree or shrub, sometimes used as a hedge. The new foliage, produced nearly year round, is bronze-red then maturing to a 1 to 3 inch glossy green leaf. The leaves are darker above, and paler below. White showy flowers are produced during Spring and Summer; they come in clusters, followed by fruit ripening 2-3 months later. Cherry sized, with crispy flesh surrounding a pea sized seed, it is pink, red and sometimes purple, particularly pretty when ripening. The fruit is thirst quenching, eaten fresh, but has no particular flavor. It can be used to make preserves.

The tree prefers moderate moisture year round, with a subtropical climate. Hardy to 25F, and stem hardy to short duration temperatures to about 20° F. Can be planted in coastal areas with protection from direct ocean winds. Compact grower, it can be successfully cultivated as a container plant. Recommended as a topiary subject.

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.

The Lilly Pilly is fairly hardy and needs only a subtropical climate to flourish. Protection should be given from long or hard freezes. Plants enjoy profuse amounts of water, but will grow in drier areas. They grow best in areas of light sun or shade. Flowers are small and fluffy, with a creamy, white color. Flowering is generally Spring, and is followed by large bunches of the fruit which ripen a couple of months later.

Lepisanthes amoena (formerly known as Syzygium amoenum) is an attractive evergreen shrub native to Southeast Asia. Growing to a height of 4 feet (1.2 m), it has glossy green oval leaves and emits a pleasant aroma. During the warmer months, it displays impressive bright pink flowers that captivate attention.

Lepisanthes amoena can be grown in a large container as long as it is kept sheltered from frost and other harsh weather conditions. If necessary, the pot should be brought inside or placed in a sheltered spot during the cold winter months. The pot should be filled with an insulated potting soil mix that is not overloaded with fertilizer and is not allowed to dry out completely. Fertilizers and growth stimulants can be used to encourage strong and healthy growth.

Lepisanthes amoena requires regular pruning, as this can help form its natural shape and promote better flowering. Care should also be taken not to overwater or allow the soil to get too wet, as this can cause root rot. It should also be provided with ample light and a humid environment.

This low maintenance, tropical shrub is ideal for garden or yard decoration. With the right amount of care and coverage for the roots, Lepisanthes amoena will blossom again year after year, displaying its impressive bright pink flowers.

Eugenia reinwardtiana (Beach Cherry) is a compact shrub or small tree native to eastern Australia, valued for both ornamental and edible qualities. It typically grows 5 - 10 ft tall and thrives in full sun to partial shade with moderate watering. In warm climates (USDA Zones 9-11), it can be planted in the ground, where its dense foliage makes it ideal for a seaside hedge, and it can also be trained as a bonsai or grown in large containers.

In spring and summer, Beach Cherry produces clusters of small white to creamy-white flowers, similar to those of other lilly pillies, followed by attractive red fruits. The sweet, soft-fleshed berries are enjoyable fresh and may be used in jams, desserts, or other dishes. A mature, well-cared-for plant can yield abundant harvests.

Beach Cherry prefers well - draining soil and benefits from protection against extreme cold. In cooler regions, container plants can be overwintered indoors in a bright, sheltered location, with careful monitoring to avoid overwatering. Salt tolerance makes it well suited for coastal gardens, adding beauty, versatility, and a productive element to the landscape.