Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston

Trees, to 10 m tall. Stems very short, broadly branched. Branchlets terete or subterete, sometimes apically much compressed, sometimes shallowly grooved. Petiole 5-10 mm; leaf blade lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, oblong, or linear, 8-26 × 2-4.5 cm, leathery or stiffly papery, both surfaces with numerous small pellucid glands, secondary veins 8-25 on each side of midvein, 0.7-1.5 cm apart, and abaxially obviously raised, reticulate veins conspicuous, intramarginal veins 2-3(-4) mm from margin, base narrow to broadly cuneate, apex acuminate to long acuminate. Inflorescences usually terminal cymes with several flowers, sometimes axillary and solitary; peduncle 1-3.5 cm. Flowers white or pink, 3-4 cm in diam. Hypanthium obconic, 0.8-1.5 cm. Calyx lobes 4, semiorbicular or triangular-ovate, 5-8 × 6-9 mm. Petals distinct, broadly ovate, 1.4-1.5 cm. Stamens 1.5-2.8 cm; anthers ca. 1.5 mm. Style 2-3.5 cm. Fruit pale yellow or red when ripe, globose or ellipsoid, 2.5-5 cm in diam., with oil glands, 1-or 2-seeded, pericarp fleshy. Embryos numerous. Fl. Mar-Apr, fr. May-Jun or Nov-Dec.

A tropical plant. It needs adequate moisture and suits the warm moist tropics. It can't stand waterlogging. It prefers a rich well composted soil but will do well on poorer soils. It does best in an open sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. It is often along stream banks. It does well near the sea shore. Young plants need shade and moisture but established trees can tolerate harder conditions. It probably grows up to about 1200 metres above sea level in equatorial regions but near the altitudinal and latitudinal limits it produces no fruit. Trees can grow on a variety of soils. A pH between 5.5 and 7 is recommended. In Nepal it grows between 600-1400 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

The fruit are eaten raw. They are poor as a dessert fruit but because of the sweet rose smell are often crystallised and used in sweets. They can be used for jams and jellies. (It is good to mix with other fruits as rose apple helps the jam to set.) The flowers are candied.

Plants can be grown from seed. Seeds germinate well and have no dormancy. Seeds often give rise to more than one seedling. These can be carefully separated when young. As fruit quality varies it is best to preserve better kinds of trees using vegetative propagation methods. Plants can be grafted or budded if needed. Cuttings root fairly easily in sand. Tip cuttings are suitable. Trees need to be 6-8 metres apart. It can be grown as a hedge.