Fruit Facts from
the
California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.
Rose Apple
Syzygium jambos Alston
Myrtaceae
Common
Names: Rose apple, Plum rose, Malabar plum.
Related Species: Water Apple (Syzygium aqueum), Blue Lilly Pilly (S. coolminianum), Water berry (S. cordatum), Jambolan, Java Plum (S. cumini), Water Pear (S. guineense), Malay Apple (S. malaccense), Java Apple (S. samarangense).
Distant affinity: Eugenias (Eugenia spp.), Guavas (Psidium spp.), Jaboticaba (Myrciaria spp.).
Origin:
The rose apple is native to the East Indies and Malaya and is
cultivated and naturalized in many parts of India, southeast Asia and
the Pacific Islands. It was introduced into Jamaica in 1762 and became
well distributed in the West Indies, and at low elevations, from
southern Mexico to Peru. The tree was planted in Florida before 1877,
and later in California.
Adaptation:
Rose apples flourish in tropical or near-tropical climates, but the
tree is proving to be hardy enough (to about 25° F) to be grown as an
ornamental as far north in California as San Francisco. A beautiful
specimen is thriving in the rather cold, windy rare fruit section of
Quail Gardens in Encinitas. The rose apple is too large to make a
suitable container plant.
Description
Growth Habit: The rose apple is a highly decorative evergreen
large shrub or small tree growing to about 20 feet with low spreading
branches and pale-brown bark. It is wide spreading and often will be
wider than its height.
Foliage:
The lanceolate leaves are 4 to 9 inches in length by 2 inches wide,
shiny and pink when they first emerge, fading to pale green. When
mature they are slightly leathery and dark green. They are narrow and
elliptic in shape and gradually taper to a point. The foliage is
produced in a dense, luxuriant mass that hides all branches from view.
Flowers:
Rose apple flowers are large and showy, white to pale cream and sweetly
scented. They are 2 – 4 inches wide and consist mostly of about 300
conspicuous stamens to 1-1/3 inches long. There are usually 4 or 5
flowers together in terminal clusters. The flowers are a rich source of
nectar for honeybees.
Fruit:
The fruits are 1 – 2 inches wide, almost round or a little longer than
wide. When ripe they may be greenish or dull-yellow flushed with pink.
The skin is smooth and thin, and the firm flesh yellowish, sweet and
rose scented. The texture is crisp, almost crunchy when the fruit is
ripe and freshly picked. They contains one to four medium hard, round
seeds, which rattle around inside the fruit. The seed as well as the
roots are regarded as poisonous. Seedless, thick-fleshed fruits have
been experimentally produced by treating opened flowers with growth
regulators such as naphthoxy acetic acid.
Culture
Location:
The rose apple needs a warm, sunny location that is not subject to
significant frosts. It should also be kept in mind that the tree will
occupy considerable space. The tree is moderately resistant to winds
and tolerates cool, coastal conditions.
Soils:
A deep, loamy, well-drained soil is best for the rose apple, but it
also flourishes on sand and limestone with very little organic matter.
In India it grows along streams. It is a favorite dooryard tree in the
Peruvian part of the Amazon, where the trees are planted high enough to
avoid the frequent floods.
Irrigation:
The tree will tolerate semi-arid conditions, but prolonged dry spell
are detrimental. It should have frequent irrigation when the weather is
warm, and kept on the dry side when it’s cold.
Fertilization:
The rose apple’s needs are unknown. If planted in a deep loamy soil it
will thrive with very little other requirements. In less fertile soils
a light semi-annual feeding of a balanced fertilizer, such as 6-6-6 NPK
may be in order.
Pruning:
Pruning of rose apples is not usually necessary. In some countries it
is pruned drastically to promote dense growth and used as hedgerows
around coffee plantations.
Frost Protection:
The rose apple will take several degrees of frost but does best when
planted in a protected spot on the south side of a wall or building.
Young plants can be given overhead protection and covered when
significant frosts are expected.
Propagation:
Most rose apple trees are grown from seed. The seeds are polyembryonic
and produce one to three sprouts, but seedlings are not uniform and
there is considerable variation in fruit quality. The poorer fruits are
dry and tasteless. Various vegetative propagation methods have been
satisfactory. Treated semi-hardwood cuttings were moderately
successful, while air-layering and veneer grafting of spring-flush
scions have been successful to a greater degree. Fruiting takes about
four years.
Pests and diseases:
The rose apple has very few serious diseases and insect problems,
although in humid climates the leaves are subject to a sooty mold from
aphid excretions. Root rot caused by Fusarium spp., and mushroom root rot (Armillariella tabescens) can attack the tree.
Harvest:
Rose apples bruise quite easily and are highly perishable. They must be
freshly picked to be crisp. The fruit is only moderately interesting
eaten out-of-hand, and is more often used in jellies and jams or
preserved in combination with other fruits of more pronounced flavor.
It is also cooked with sugar to make a dessert. When cooked with
custards or puddings, they impart a rose flavor. The flowers can also
be candied.
Cultivars
Insufficient tests have been made
with strains from the West Indies, Mexico, and Guiana to tell if there
are any significant differences. There are no known varieties.
Further
Reading
Morton, Julia F. Fruits of Warm Climates. Creative Resources Systems, Inc. 1987. pp. 383-836.
Popenoe, Wilson. Manual of Tropical and Subtropical Fruits. Hafner Press. 1974. Facsimile of the 1920 edition. pp. 305-306
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© Copyright 1996-2001, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.
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