Wax apple

What it is

Wax apple is Syzygium samarangense, a member of the myrtle family. The fruit is roughly 3.4–5 cm (1⅓–2 in) long and 4.5–5.4 cm (1¾–2⅛ in) across. Four fleshy lobes remain at its broad end. The flesh has a spongy structure, with no seeds or just one or two, often poorly developed.

Skin colour depends on the variety: light red, greenish-white and cream all occur. Taiwan’s Black Diamond is large and seedless, with crimson skin and a sweet, juicy, crisp bite.

Where it comes from

Wax apple comes from the Malay Peninsula and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is grown across Southeast Asia and in India. In the seventeenth century, the Dutch carried it from Java to Taiwan, where it first grew as scattered garden trees. Taiwanese growers kept improving it until Taiwan’s wax apple became better known than the fruit of its homeland. Black Diamond, an improved variety from 1987, is one result.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Malaysia, greenish wax apples are eaten raw with salt or cooked into a sauce. In Indonesia, the fruit joins rujak fruit salads and asinan pickles.

In Kaohsiung, wax apple also appears in a salad with cucumber, tomato, kiwifruit and baby corn. A Japanese-style dressing combines soy sauce, mirin, oils, vinegar and fruit juice.

How it's grown

Wax apple grows on an evergreen tree with a spreading crown and flaking pink-grey bark. It reaches 5–15 m (16–49 ft), and trees grown from cuttings or grafts begin bearing after about 3–5 years. The tree suits tropical lowlands and needs a reliable water supply, even where part of the year is dry.

The fruit’s skin is thin and delicate. The fruit is picked by hand twice a week and handled with care, then eaten or preserved within a few days of picking.

When and where you'll find it

In India, wax apples usually ripen in May and June. Kaohsiung’s Black Diamond normally crops from May to July, while managed orchards extend production from October to the following June.

In the US, a small amount is grown in South Florida. Wherever you find it, this is a fruit for eating within a few days of picking.