Syzygium is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, comprising nearly 1,100 species, many of which produce edible fruits. These fruits vary significantly in appearance, taste, and use across different species.
Syzygium samarangense, commonly known as wax apple, wax jambu, Java apple, or bell fruit, is a tropical evergreen tree cultivated primarily in Southeast Asia. It produces bell-shaped, waxy fruits that range in color from white to deep red, with a crisp, juicy, and sour-sweet flavor. The fruit weighs between 28–100 grams and can reach up to 200 grams, with a spongy white flesh and a central cotton-candy-like mesh containing globose brown seeds. This fruit is rich in bioactive compounds such as chalcones, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, and terpenoids, which contribute to its antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties. It is consumed raw and used in making jams, jellies, juices, wine, and salads. Cultivation began in Taiwan in the 17th century and has since expanded to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and parts of India, including humid regions like Kerala, Karnataka, and Assam.
Syzygium cumini, also known as Java plum, black plum, jamun, or Malabar plum, is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Its fruit is a drupaceous berry that starts green, turns pink, then crimson red, and finally black as it ripens. The fruit has a sweet, mildly sour, and astringent taste and is known to stain the tongue purple. It is consumed raw, made into juices, jams, syrups (like kala khatta), and sorbets. Nutritionally, 100 grams of raw fruit provides 60 calories, 83% water, 16% carbohydrates, and moderate vitamin C, with negligible fat and no other significant micronutrients. The tree is also valued for its timber, which is water-resistant and used in railway sleepers, well motors, and furniture. It has cultural significance in India, referenced in Buddhist texts and Hindu mythology, including associations with Krishna and the sage Avvaiyar.
Another species, Syzygium myrtifolium, produces dark purple or black spherical to ellipsoid berries about 9 mm wide. It grows in lowland forests, coastal areas, and riverbanks and is used in landscaping due to its tolerance of poor soils and salt spray, though it is sensitive to drought and transplanting. It is also known for its dark red young foliage and bright pink inflorescences in certain cultivars.
A rare species, Syzygium sp. (Mystery Fruit), native to Hawaii, produces small, sweet red fruits and is adaptable to tropical and subtropical climates, suitable for container gardening and bonsai. It blooms and fruits within 2–3 years of planting.
Several Syzygium species are grown as ornamental plants in Australia, where 52 species are found, commonly known as lillipillies or brush cherries, valued for their glossy foliage and edible fruits used in jams and jellies. Some species, like Syzygium cumini, are considered invasive in regions such as Florida, South Africa, and Hawaii due to their rapid growth and ability to naturalize outside their native range
Информация по комментариям в разработке