The Wax Apple, Syzygium samarangense, also known as Wax Jambu, Java Apple, Rose Apple and Bell Fruit, is an evergreen, tropical fruit bearing tree, growing 5-15 meters tall with an open, wide spreading treetop. Wax apple is a dense shade tree that can grow in most parts of the tropics and subtropics but it is frost and wind susceptible.

Syzygium samarangense is native to Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and India, . It is a member of the Myrtaceae family the genus Syzygium. Syzygium samarangense is a fast growing ornamental as well as fruit bearing tree.

Leaves of the Wax Apple are 10-25 cm long and 5-10 cm broad. Flowers are borne in droopy panicles of 3 to 30, at the tips of branches or in smaller bunch in the axils of fallen leaves. They are fragrant, yellowish-white, 2.5 cm in diameter, with four petals and numerous stamens.

However, the flowers and fruit are not restricted to the axils of the leaves and could appear on almost any point on the surface of the trunk and branches.

When mature, the Wax Apple is regarded a heavy bearer and could yield a crop of up to 700 fruits, 4-6 cm long in wild plants. They are picked when fully colored and ripened on the tree. They can be bagged to protect them from birds and insects.

The fruit is a bell or pear-shaped edible berry with a flavor a bit like a snow pear, remarkably refreshing and juicy. The very center of the fruit holds a seed that is placed in a sort of cotton-candy-like mesh. The mesh is edible but flavorless.

Fruit color ranging from white, pale green, green, red, purple, and crimson, to deep purple or even black. In general, the lighter or darker the color is, the sweeter the fruit is. One of the most highly prized and sought-after Wax Apples in Taiwan are the "black pearls."

The fruit is served up uncut with the core removed in order to maintain the unique bell shape presentation. It can be consumed fresh out of hand or mixed in fruit salads. It can be stored in air-tight containers under refrigeration for a few days. It is easily marked.

Tree propagation is by seed, air-layering, grafting or budding. The plant favors warm humid areas, light and frequent feeding. Syzygium samarangense does well in a wide range of soil types provided drainage is good. It will bear fruit inside three years.

Syzygium samarangense, Wax Apple

The key to successful fruit and nut production is the presence of a beneficial environment for the trees that bear them.