Malay (rose) apple

Appearance

The combination of tree, flowers and fruit has been praised as the most beautiful of the Myrtaceae family. 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 or more. It can grow at a variety of altitudes, from sea level up to 2,740 m. The tree can grow to 12–18 m 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 divert birds.

Naming

''Syzygium malaccense'' has a variety of common names. It is known as a Malay rose apple, or simply Malay apple, ''jambu merah'', ''jambu bol'', ''nakavita'', Malay rose apple, Otaheite cashew and ''pommerac''. Despite the fact that it is sometimes called the otaheite cashew, ''Syzygium malaccense'' is not related to cashew – an important distinction because cashews may trigger severe allergic reactions while ''Syzygium malaccense'' does not appear to cause allergic reactions.