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Malay Apple Syzygium malaccense a.k.a. Mountain Apple A very beautiful fruit, usually deep red in color, pear shaped,
with a waxy skin, about the size of an apple. Flesh is crunchy,
often juicy, with a mild sweet flavor. Some varieties have white
or pink skin. |
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Uses |
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Almost always eaten fresh and chilled. Malay apple's make great thirst quenching snacks. The fruit can also be used to make wines. |
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Plant Cultivation |
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A medium to large sized tree growing to over 60 ft in some areas. Malay
apple's thrive in tropical conditions and are too tender to grow outdoors
in California and most of Florida. In Hawaii, Malay apples (mountain
apples) commonly grow in mid-elevation rain forest areas, often as large
understory trees. They do not succeed as well at sea level. Trees usually
require little care other than year-round water. Flowering usually occurs
in early summer followed by fruit ripening 3 months later. |
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Origin and Distribution |
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Native to Malaysia. Has been spread by humans through much of southeast Asia and the Pacific islands. Now common growing wild on the Hawaiian islands. The Malay apple (or mountain apple as it is known in Hawaii) was an important fruit of the Polynesians, and was later distributed to the America's on one of Captain Bligh's voyages. |
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Related Species |
