Water apple, ideal tree for hot climates

water apple fruit

La water apple. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with the apple varieties that we know. Our protagonist is a tree native to the tropical jungles of South America, and the smell of its fruit is reminiscent of the aroma of a rose, and if we add to that that it has a sweet taste…, who doesn't want to try it? With a height of up to 18 meters, it is one of the most interesting edible plants if you live in a warm climate, because, in addition to being able to calm your stomach when you are a little hungry, you can protect yourself from the sun under its shade and contemplate its beautiful flowers.

Do you want to know more about the water apple?

Key features

Scientifically known by the name of Syzygium malaccense, has evergreen leaves up to 16cm in length. Its flowers, as you can see in the image above, are pedicelled, pink. They sprout in spring, during the rainy season, and remain on the tree for several weeks, until they wilt or until an insect pollinates them. If everything has gone well, the fruit, which measures about 40mm, and has an ovoid shape, will begin to form; red, pink or white when it ripens, a moment that you can take advantage of to sow it.

It is also known by other names such as japanese cashew, jambu, malay apple, rose apple, pomagas, pomagá, pomalaca, curaçao cashew and other names. It is also native to Malaysia and the Caribbean. Its trunk is straight, reddish and has a scaly texture. Its crown is pyramidal or cylindrical, depending on the space it has to develop its branches. At most it reaches between 12 and 18 meters in height when it reaches maturity. One of the advantages of this tree is that it provides a great deal of shade given that it has numerous dense and good-sized leaves.

The leaves have an oval shape and are longer than wide in a dark green color. As for its flowers, they grow in great numbers. They are capable of giving off a light fragrance that turns the whole environment with this intoxicating aroma. The flowers appear in clusters in the upper part of the trunk and the parts where the branches do not have leaves. They are pink in color and have numerous yellow stamens. This causes numerous insects to come to drink the nectar of the flowers. Therefore, if you have this tree in your garden, you must bear in mind that you will have the visit of numerous insects.

The flowers have a beautiful appeal and are hidden in the foliage. When they fall on the ground they form a carpet of a very attractive pink color. This makes the tree not only interesting for the water apple but also for its ornamental appeal.

Description of the water apple

The fruit of this tree is elongated in shape very similar to a summer. They have thin, smooth skin with a pink to red color. It has an appearance similar to that of a pity even though it is called a water apple. We have already mentioned before that it has nothing to do with the common apple. These fruits are produced in the central part of the tree and can only be seen from below. It is considered a pink berry because of a white pulp inside and a crunchy texture. The flavor is quite good as it is sweet and very smooth. Inside the water apple we have an almost round seed or two seeds of a brown color.

Uses of the water apple tree

Syzigium malaccense flowers

This tree has been planted as an ornamental plant known as a windbreaker. And is that given its lush leaves and its large number of fruits helped alleviate the problems of wind currents in cities. That is, it was used in urban areas with greater vehicle traffic to avoid extreme wind current. The fruit can be eaten raw and also used to make jams, sauces, preserves, pickles and table wines. It has a myriad of uses and has been widespread throughout the world. From this plant is to take advantage of everything to such an extent that in Indonesia its flowers are used to be eaten in salads or in syrup.

The wood of the trunk is reddish in color and has a thick and heavy texture. Although it is somewhat complicated to work, it is used for construction with very good results. It is a tree that is also used in traditional medicine and is considered useful to treat dysentery. Some people have used the water apple and mixed with the leaves to make medicines against constipation, cough, diabetes, headache, and other ailments. The water apple itself has properties such as an antibiotic and to control some blood pressure and breathing problems.

Care and maintenance

The seeds of this plant germinate quite easily. To do this, you must sow them in seedbeds with rich, fertile substrate, such as the following: 60% black peat or compost + 30% perlite + 10% worm humus or guano. Keep them in a location protected from direct sun, moist, and over the course of 2 to 4 weeks they will begin to germinate. They grow very quickly, so I recommend transplanting them to slightly larger pots as soon as they are 10cm high.

They reproduce easily by seeds and many new plants are born in the ground, under the tree. They also multiply by grafting, cuttings and air layering. Depending on the use you want to give it and the speed at which you want it to grow, it may be more interesting to reproduce by cuttings rather than by seeds.

What do you need to vegetate well? Above all, a warm climate, free of frost. Being a tropical plant, it is very sensitive to cold, so It must be protected from temperatures below 10ºC, and also from those above 35ºC. For the rest, the water apple tree is sure to give you great satisfaction.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the water apple and its characteristics.


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  1.   Diana Solis said

    I love the water apple tree for its greenness and thickness and I would like to know if I can plant one in a 1 cubic meter pot since my land is small and I am afraid that the roots will damage the floor.
    Please answer, I already have my tree ready for permanent transplantation.
    Thank you

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi, Diana.
      If it has holes for water drainage and it is paid periodically, yes, but it has to be pruned since it can reach 8 or even 20m.
      A greeting.

  2.   Daniela said

    hello in my house they planted a water apple tree about 4 years ago, and my brother-in-law cut the top off it and it was barely like 3 meters tall I told him why I don't expect it to develop further, he said they grow very tall but I told him that I am a dwarf, I do not see that he takes fruit, I wanted to see him higher so that he could give me shade where I wash, my question is will it grow more, will it give fruit?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Daniela.
      When a tree is cut off the main branch, what is achieved is that many lower branches sprout. It takes a while for the plant to grow back in height, although it ends up doing so.
      Of course, it will pay off, but after pruning it will likely take longer than necessary.
      A greeting.

  3.   Fabian Barrantes placeholder image said

    Hi there! I would like to know how long it takes for the tree once planted to start bearing fruit?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Fabian.
      I can't tell you for sure, but at least 5-6 years.
      A greeting.

  4.   theophilus masis said

    I have one and it is about 70cm. Since I bought it, it has not made a single leaf, it has not grown. I am from Costa Rica and we are still in summer. temperature 25 °. will I have to wait for the rainy season? to see any new branches?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello theophilus.

      How long ago did you buy it? I ask this because if it has been a few weeks and you are in the 'dry' season, it is normal that it takes a while to sprout.

      Anyway, when the start of the rainy season approaches, take advantage of it and start adding some organic compost, compost or mulch. This will help you gain strength.

      Regards!

  5.   moses salazar said

    its root comes out of the ground or stays under it

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Moses.

      In principle if you have enough space they will stay underground. But if it is the case that it is in a pot and it is too small, then they will begin to grow on the outside.

      Greetings.

  6.   Gabriel said

    Thanks for the great photos. Without people like you we would have no information.
    first-hand, nor photos so graceful. This fruit and many others, we would not even know that they existed.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Thank you very much Gabriel 🙂