Java Plum (Jamblang)

Syzygium cumini

Small, dark red-purple, ovaloid fruit, sometimes up to 2" long. The pulp ranges from purple to white and is very juicy, with a sweet to astringent flavor in poorer varieties.

Better fruits are often eaten fresh. Lesser fruits are usually soaked in salt water or sprinkled with salt to improve flavor. Fruits are also juiced, as well as used to make ice creams and preserves.

Fast-growing tree up to 40-50ft or over 100ft in ideal climate conditions. Java plum's grow from sea level to 6000ft in the tropics but in cooler climates they will not produce fruit. Grow in areas of large rainfall or supplement water frequently throughout the year. Trees will sometimes grow on riverbanks where roots are exposed to standing water all year. It will stand periods of flooding. In areas of hard freezes, keep plants protected although they are fairly hardy and will withstand temperatures in the high 20's without damage.