Malay Jamun / Malay Apple
Syzygium malaccense
Also known as Macopa, Manzana, Otaheite Apple, Pomarosa
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka & more
- Flowering
- February-June
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
- 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
- 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
- Arrangement
- Opposite
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
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Berry
Characters marked “recorded” are for Malay Jamun itself; the rest are typical of the Myrtaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- मलै जामुन Malay jamun
- Bengali
- Malaka jamrul, মালয়ী জামরুল
- Tamil
- மலாய் நீர்க்குமளி
- Malayalam
- മലയൻ ആപ്പിൾ, Syzygium malaccense, മലയ് ആപ്പിൾ
- Sinhala
- පිනි ජම්බු
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.
Myrtaceae
Myrtle/Eucalyptus family
Malay Jamun belongs to the Myrtaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Myrtaceae family →Snap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Myrtaceae
View all Myrtaceae →Sources: GBIF — Syzygium malaccense (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Syzygium malaccense (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)