Syzygium malaccense in SoCal

[fastfeat]

Syzygium malaccense (Mountain Apple) had been nearly unheard of in SoCal until fairly recently, but has gained popularity especially in the Vietnamese communities in Orange County. (I had previously presumed that the tree was just too tender or poorly adapted to the Mediterranean climate.) But in recent years, I have seen many young trees in Fountain Valley/Westminster/Garden Grove that have made it through several winters (including the bitterly cold one of two years ago.) And this year, I have seen several, including this one off Warner Ave in Fountain Valley, loaded with showy fruit. (Though I'll have to admit, after eating one, I'm not sure what the fuss is about...)

[ariscott]

Ken,

We eat it with sweet & hot sauce (made of palm sugar, chilli, etc, & sometimes peanut). It is very refreshing on a hot day... You might not think so, but it works for us..

Regards, Ari

[epicure3]

How does it fare in comparison to the Wax Jambu (Syzygium samarangense)?

[ariscott]

Wax jambu is sweeter... this one is sour.

Regards, Ari

[buzzmonkey]

Not to be nit-picky but I'm pretty sure that's not a Malay/ mountain apple (S. malaccense). Fruiting at the ends of the branches, the size and shape of the fruit and the lack of taste you mention make me think it is actually a wax jambu, (S. samarangense). S. malaccense has a very distinctive, almost Christmas tree shape, fruits and flowers within its canopy, have much larger, more pear-saped and darker red fruit, and these have a really nice, crisp juicy sweet tart quality.

[fastfeat]

Not to be nit-picky but I'm pretty sure that's not a Malay/ mountain apple (S. malaccense). Fruiting at the ends of the branches, the size and shape of the fruit and the lack of taste you mention make me think it is actually a wax jambu, (S. samarangense). S. malaccense has a very distinctive, almost Christmas tree shape, fruits and flowers within its canopy, have much larger, more pear-saped and darker red fruit, and these have a really nice, crisp juicy sweet tart quality.

Hey Joe--

Someone on another site had said the same thing about my ID, so you may well be correct. Thanks for pointing it out. The few plants I've seen in nurseries (in SoCal) were sold as S. malaccense, and in error, I hadn't questioned them further.

What color are flowers of S. samarangense-- Pink/purple of S. malaccense or typical white of most species? Is it harder to cold?

Edited September 2, 2010 by fastfeat

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

The tree at the Deerfield Beach Arboretum is much larger, has redder fruit and carries them inside the canopy. It only has the common name of Red Wax Jambu. Is this a different tree or the malaccense?

[buzzmonkey]

Hey Fast and Jerry-

Here are some pics I've taken of S. malaccense, the first few in Peru and the last one at the Fruit and Spice Park. None had mature fruit on them so the fruit looks much smaller than it becomes at maturity, which would be roughly the size of a pear.

I would guess that red wax jambu is S. samarangense based on name alone, but what you describe really sounds like S. malaccense to me. I need to truck on up to the Deerfield Arboretum, it sounds really cool.

[buzzmonkey]

[buzzmonkey]

[buzzmonkey]

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Joe,

The tree in Deerfield has lighter red fruit than your pics. It is not pyramidal in shape but rounded. If you come to Deerfield, let me know and I'll give you the nickel tour.

[fastfeat]

Nice pics, Joe. I'm pretty sure that the CA trees are not S. malaccense. The lack of cauliflorous blooming of the CA trees seems to be the key.

[Xenon]

My parents eat that, gonna try some soon.

Jonathan

Edited September 4, 2010 by Xenon

[Brian Bruning]

I think this plant's value in the landscape is its glossy green tropical leaves and gorgeous flowers that I'm sure hummingbirds love.