Botanical Name: Syzygium malaccense
Family: Myrtaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Myrtales
Genus: Syzygium
Species: S. malaccense
Synonyms:
*Caryophyllus malaccensis (L.) Stokes
*Eugenia malaccensis L.
Common Names:
Malay Apple, Kavika Tree, Large Fruited Rose Apple, Mountain Apple, Malacca Apple, Malay Apple, Malay Rose Apple, Mountain Apple, Otaheite Cashew, Otaheite Apple, Pomerac, Malaysian apple, Pink satin-ash, Rose-apple, Water apple, long fruited rose-apple, wax jambu and Malacca pear
Habitat:
The Malay apple is presumed to be a native of Malaysia. It is commonly cultivated from Java to the Philippines and Vietnam, also in Bengal and South India. Portuguese voyagers carried it from Malacca to Goa and from there it was introduced into East Africa. It must have spread throughout the Pacific Islands in very early times for it is featured in Fijian mythology and the wood was used by ancient Hawaiians to make idols. Indeed, it has been recorded that, before the arrival of missionaries in Hawaii, there were no fruits except bananas, coconuts and the Malay apple. The flowers are considered sacred to Pele, the fiery volcano goddess. Captain Bligh conveyed small trees of 3 varieties from the islands of Timor and Tahiti to Jamaica in 1793. The tree was growing under glass in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1839, and specimens were fruiting in Bermuda in 1878. Now it is growing in various places in the world.
Description:
Malay Apple is a medium-size evergreen tree with a spreading but cone-shaped crown that grows about 5 – 20 meters tall, though specimens to 30 meters have been recorded from New Guinea. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 20 – 45 cm in diameter (to 130 cm in New Guinea), often branching from near the ground though sometimes free of branches for 10 – 15 meters, with buttresses at the base. Bark is pale-brown, rough, flaky or fissured. The plant is adaptable to a wide range of soil type from sand to heavy clays but prefers well drained, medium textured soils like loams, sandy clay loams, sandy clays, clay loams. It grows well in volcanic soils but is intolerant of alkaline or saline soils….CLICK & SEE
Leaves:
Leaf blades are slightly curved upward on both sides of midrib; the lateral veins are slightly sunken and connected near margins. The upper surface of the leaf is dark green or green and usually slightly shiny, and the lower surface dull light green. Scattered minute gland dots are visible with a lens when the blade is held toward the light.
Fruits:
Fertile flowers are followed by a large, fleshy, ovoid, pear-shaped, dumb-bell shaped or oblong berry 4–7.5 cm long, glossy, waxy, crowned by the incurved non-fleshy calyx segments. Color of the fruit varies from white, greenish white, dark pink, red, purple- red or white with red streaks. Flesh is 0.5-2.5 cm thick, juicy, white and fragrant. Normally Malay apple is red with pink or white streaks; the flesh is thick, rather dry and scented, but often bland. Eighty percent or more of the fruit is edible. Each fruit usually contains a single large, brown, sub globose seed that is 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter. Malay apple ripen about 60 days after bloom.
Edible Uses:
*The ripe fruits are eaten fresh, out of hand, in fruit salad, fruit cocktail, stewed with spices as dessert or eaten dipped in sauces.
*Pomerac fruit can also be processed into candied fruit slices.
*Half ripe fruits are used for pickles, jelly, and preserves.
*Ripe fruit is sliced and eaten as petjel (vegetable eaten with sambal sauce) and the young pinkish leaves are eaten raw as lalab (salad) with rice in Indonesia.
*In Indonesia, the flowers are eaten in salads or are preserved in syrup.
*The flowers are also eaten in Thailand.
*Young leaves and shoots are consumed as vegetables.
*Young leaves and flowers also eaten in Papua New Guinea.
*The flesh can be prepared as a jam, combined with raw sugar and ginger.
*It is also possible to make either red or white wine from the fruits, both types being very popular in Puerto Rico
Health Benefits:
- Treat Eyes Health:
In case you have problems with the eyes, maybe your body need vitamin A. Vitamin A on Malay apple fruit is high enough and helps to make your eyes health much better. With a healthy eye, your eyesight can be more clear and sharp. - Relieves fever:
Malay apple can also be used as medicine to relieve fever. You can make the steeping of this fruit with warm water and give it to people with fever. Fever will gradually heal and fall. - Nourish the skin:
The benefit of cashew boll for the skin is quite a lot. In addition to nourish your skin, this fruit can also help to make your skin smooth and rubbery. The content of vitamin C and other minerals will prevent you from diseases, such as skin cancer. - Prevents diabetes:
Malay apple fruit helps to prevent diabetes. This fruit serves as a substitute for regular sugar that you often consume. The content of sugar in the fruit tends to be low but still can meet the needs sugar of your body. Therefore your blood sugar levels can be more controlled easily. - Increase Endurance:
Maybe sometimes you feel your endurance is going down. No need to worry about it. Malay apple consists of 22 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, this going to make your immune system stronger and fill the need of vitamin C in your body. Vitamins presents in Malay apple helps to get rid of various diseases that will attack your body health. - Treat Sprue:
If you are often get sprue, maybe your body lack vitamin C. Because one of factor you get sprue is you lack of vitamin C. 100 gram of malay apple consists of 22 milligrams of vitamin C, this gonna better for you to treat your sprue. This fruit has some vitamin content that can treat sprue and protect your oral cavity from infection. - Overcome dysentery:
Malay apple fruit has the property to overcome dysentery. This disease is a contagious disease; it needs to be addressed as soon as possible so as not to spread rapidly. - Strengthens bones:
The iron in this fruit, help your bones become stronger. Including this fruits is quite beneficial and you do not have to worry about osteoporosis or another bone related problems. - Skin Health:
An adequate amount of Vitamin A and C could be obtained from the Rose Apple which helps to prevent damage from the oxidative stress caused by the poor diet, stress, and pollution. It also reduces the dryness of the skin and reduces the wrinkles. - Prevent Acne
Acne vulgaris is a skin condition which leads to the inflammation caused due to skin infection. The research shows that the leaves of Rose Apple possess anti-acne properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The experiment also shows that the presence of synergic actions results from the antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. Thus, S. Jambos assist in anti-acne activities. This study helps to know about the herbal medicines whereas various clinical trials are being continued. - Cure Liver Damage:
Liver damage leads to various liver diseases which are caused due to the excessive consumption of alcohol, anemia, malnutrition, infection and hepatotoxic drugs. The research which was carried out at Gujarat Ayurved University shows that the leaves extract of Rose Apple consists of the liver protective agent. It leads to the effectiveness in the change in the function of the liver than the disease control group. The efficacy was worthy of comparison to the standard drug. - Prevent Constipation:
Dietary fiber in Rose Apple supports the digestive system in the material movement and stimulate stool which is helpful for those having the irregular stools or constipation. It supports healthy weight and reduces the chances of heart disease and diabetes.
Medicinal Uses:
As Sprue Medicine:
To treat a sprue, use the trunk of Malay apple tree. Trunk of Malay apple can be used as a sprue medicine, by just boiling the stem and drinking water.
Increase Baby’s Appetite:
If your baby’s appetite is weak, maybe you can try this. Boil some water with young bark of Malay and put it in the glass. And then add some sugar to gives some taste and drink it to the baby. It can increase baby’s appetite.
Help Treat Wound on Tongue:
If your tongue is wound, you can try this to treat it. Pick up the dry leaves of Malay apple and make it become powder. And apply it on the wound tongue.
As Antibiotics:
Seeds bark, and leave of Malay apple show antibiotic activity and have an effect on blood pressure and breathing.
Other Uses:
Trunk of the Mountain Apple tree was used by the people of old Hawai’i to build beams for their hale, house and for fashioning bowls and poi-boards. A reddish brown dye for making patterns on tapa bark cloth, was processed from the bark and the root.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syzygium_malaccense
https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/malay-apple/
https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/malay_apple.html
