Syzygium malaccense

Water apple ( Syzygium malaccense )

The water apple ( Syzygium malaccense ) is a tree species of the myrtle family ( Myrtaceae ). It is found in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Its fruit has a red shell and resembles an apple. It can easily be confused with the related Java apple, but is smaller and more compact than this. The bright juicy pulp has a very high water content and therefore tastes very refreshing. Some varieties have a pleasant acidity.

Dissemination

The water apple is cultivated in Vietnam, from Java to the Philippines, in Bengal, South India, Tahiti and Hawaii because of its edible fruit. William Bligh brought the tree along with the breadfruit from Tahiti to Jamaica. Since then, he is also planted on the islands of the Caribbean and in parts of tropical America, especially in Venezuela and Brazil. The original distribution area can no longer find. It is believed that it is in the area of ​​today's Malaysia.

Features

The water apple is an erect, tree with dense, columnar or cylindrical crown. As height 4.5 up to 12 m or 7.5 to 20 m is specified according to different sources. The diameter at breast height is 20 to 140 cm.

The bark is light brown and smooth or slightly fissured. The inner bark is brown striped. The sapwood is light brown.

The flowers are hermaphrodite, 5-7 cm tall, bright pink colored and very attractive. They are usually a threesome on a short-stalked inflorescence or leaf- free sections of the branches in groups of two to eight. They have four sepals, which are relatively wide and thick and have a round shape. The four also rounded petals are pink, orange or dark red, rarely yellow or white. The stamens are 2.5 and 3 cm long, really stand out and have yellow anthers.

The pear- shaped fruits are red, rarely pink or white. and a length of 5 to 10 cm have a diameter from 2.5 to 7.5 cm. Your skin is thin and soft. The flesh firm and has an apple -like, slightly sour taste. Each fruit contains only a relatively large seeds (18 mm diameter).

Use

The water apple is grown mainly for its fruit. They have a watery, fresh taste. When they are ripe, they taste characteristic sweetish. They are eaten raw or made ​​into preserves. From unripe fruit jelly is produced in Puerto Rico are from the fruits fruit wines made ​​.

In the Caribbean and in South America the water apple is planted as ornamental tree or as a component of windshield - woody plants.

The wood has no economic significance. It is to work hard and heavy. The inner bark has astringent.