SASYA
Simple leaf
As recorded for Malay Jamun
✿Myrtaceae · Syzygium

Syzygium malaccense

Malay Jamun / Malay Apple मलै जामुन

Hindi name · See all regional names ↓

Also known as Macopa, Manzana, Otaheite Apple, Pomarosa

Habit
Tree
Found in India
Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka & more
Flowering
February-June
One plant. Many familiar names.

Malay Jamun in regional languages

Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.

Recorded regional names for Malay Jamun
LanguageRegional scriptRecorded Latin spelling
Hindiमलै जामुनMalay jamun
Bengaliমালয়ী জামরুলMalaka jamrul
Tamilமலாய் நீர்க்குமளிNot recorded
Malayalamമലയൻ ആപ്പിൾ · മലയ് ആപ്പിൾSyzygium malaccense
Sinhalaපිනි ජම්බුNot recorded
See the original recorded names
Hindi
मलै जामुन Malay jamun
Bengali
Malaka jamrul, মালয়ী জামরুল
Tamil
மலாய் நீர்க்குமளி
Malayalam
മലയൻ ആപ്പിൾ, Syzygium malaccense, മലയ് ആപ്പിൾ
Sinhala
පිනි ජම්බු

Ecology & growing context

Native status · Kew WCVP
WCVP records it as introduced in Assam Kew dataset ↗

Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: Indo-China to Vanuatu.

Recorded habitat
Cultivated
Explore nearby plants
Kerala →Maharashtra →Karnataka →

Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.

How to identify Malay Jamun

Identify Malay Jamun by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.

  • Look for a tree habit.
  • Confirm leaf type: Simple.
  • Confirm leaf shape: Elliptic.
  • Confirm flower colour: Red.
  • In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: February-June.
  • In India, compare location records such as Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and nearby regions.
  • Confirm it sits within the Myrtaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Malay Jamun.

Plant Details

Scientific name
Syzygium malaccense
Genus
Syzygium
Family
Myrtaceae
Habit
Tree
Habitat
Cultivated
Habitat type
Cultivated
Native to
Malesia
Distribution
Cultivated in other parts of Tropical Asia
Found in India
Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh
Flowering & fruiting
February-June
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Simple leaf type
Leaf type
SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.“Its leaves are simple, elliptical, or oval-shaped with pointed tips and smooth edges.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Elliptic leaf shape
Leaf shape
EllipticrecordedWidest at the middle, tapering evenly at both ends.“Its leaves are simple, elliptical, or oval-shaped with pointed tips and smooth edges.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leaf surface
GlabrousrecordedSmooth, hairless.“Its leaves are simple, elliptical, or oval-shaped with pointed tips and smooth edges.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Opposite arrangement leaf character
Arrangement
Opposite
Entire margin leaf character
Margin
Entire
Pinnate venation leaf character
Venation
Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Malay Jamun itself; the rest are typical of the Myrtaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour
Redrecorded

Typical of the family

Cyme inflorescence
Inflorescence
Cyme
Berry fruit
Fruit
Berry

Characters marked “recorded” are for Malay Jamun itself; the rest are typical of the Myrtaceae family — flowering plants only.

Malay Jamun in India

This tropical fruit tree, known as मलै जामुन Malay jamun (Hindi), மலாய் நீர்க்குமளி (Tamil), മലയൻ ആപ്പിൾ (Malayalam), Malaka jamrul (Bengali), is grown for its crisp, mildly sweet fruit. Syzygium malaccense is found across Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, typically in warm, humid coastal regions.

Uses

Its pear-shaped, deep pink to red fruit is eaten fresh, valued for its crisp, watery, mildly sweet flesh, and is also made into jams and preserves in some regions.

How to Identify Malay Jamun

An evergreen tree with large, glossy leaves. Flowers are a striking deep pink-crimson, with a prominent cluster of long stamens and almost no visible petals, followed by pear-shaped fruit that ripens from green to deep pink or red.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Malay Apple called in different Indian languages?
मलै जामुन Malay jamun (Hindi); மலாய் நீர்க்குமளி (Tamil); മലയൻ ആപ്പിൾ (Malayalam); Malaka jamrul (Bengali).
Is Malay apple related to rose apple?
Yes — both belong to the same genus (Syzygium), though Malay apple (Syzygium malaccense) has a pear-shaped, crimson fruit, while rose apple (Syzygium jambos) has smaller, pale, rose-scented fruit.
Why are the flowers so vividly coloured?
Its flowers rely on a dense brush of long, showy crimson stamens rather than large petals to attract pollinators, giving them their striking colour.
Illustration representing the Myrtaceae family
Botanical family

Myrtaceae

Myrtle/Eucalyptus family

Malay Jamun belongs to the Myrtaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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More in Myrtaceae

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Sources: GBIF — Syzygium malaccense (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Syzygium malaccense (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)