Editing Fruit page format/Rose apple

'''Working copy: default fruit-page format'''

This is a working example of the compact standard format for fruit pages. It is based on the canonical [[Syzygium jambos|Rose apple]] article, but keeps the default structure short and expandable. Empty or unsupported fields should be omitted rather than padded.

'''Rose apple''' ('''''Syzygium jambos''''') is an evergreen tropical tree grown for its fragrant flowers and crisp, rose-scented fruit.

{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
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| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Syzygium jambos fruit.jpg|thumb|center|250px|Ripe fruit on the branch.]]
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! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Rose apple (''Syzygium jambos'')
|-
! Scientific name
| ''Syzygium jambos'' (L.) Alston
|-
! Common names
| Rose apple, Malabar plum, pomarrosa, jambu mawar
|-
! Genus
| ''[[Syzygium]]''
|-
! Family
| ''[[Myrtaceae]]''
|-
! Order
| ''[[Myrtales]]''
|-
! Growth form
| Evergreen tree
|-
! Mature size
| About 7.5–12 m in ground; smaller with pruning
|-
! Climate
| Tropical to warm subtropical; USDA zones 9–11, with zone 9 marginal
|-
! Propagation
| Fresh seed; air-layering for clonal plants
|-
! Germination
| About 10–120 days from fresh seed
|-
! Years to fruit
| About 3–4 years from seed under favorable conditions
|-
! Pollination
| Generally self-fertile; insects visit the flowers
|-
! Fruit season
| Varies by climate; often follows the wet season
|}


== Identification and description ==

''Syzygium jambos'' has opposite, lance-shaped leaves, often with a rosy flush of new growth. The large cream-colored flowers are made mostly of conspicuous stamens. The nearly round or slightly pear-shaped fruit is usually pale yellow to whitish, sometimes pink-blushed, with crisp flesh and a hollow center containing loose seeds. A rosewater-like scent is a useful clue.

It can be confused with wax apple (''S. samarangense''), Malay apple (''S. malaccense''), watery rose apple (''S. aqueum''), and other plants sold under the name rose apple.

[[File:Syzygium jambos-young leaves.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Rosy new foliage.]]

== Growing ==

Rose apple prefers warm, mostly frost-free conditions, regular moisture, and full sun once established. Young plants benefit from partial shade and should be transplanted while small because root disturbance can set them back. It tolerates a range of soils, including wet sites, but deep soil with reliable moisture is generally productive. Protect it from repeated freezes and direct salt spray.

[[File:Starr_050107-2977_Syzygium_jambos.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Mature tree habit.]]

=== Soil ===

Native rose apple habitats include moist lowlands, stream margins, and other deep soils with regular water movement. Alluvial loam with leaf litter is a useful model, although the tree can tolerate sand and limestone. The natural habitat may be wet, but roots should not remain in stagnant, oxygen-poor water.

=== Sun and humidity ===

Give established trees full sun for reliable flowering and fruiting; young plants tolerate or benefit from partial shade. Warm, humid air and protection from drying winds resemble the native environment. Air movement remains important in dense plantings.

=== Seasonal changes ===

Warm wet-season growth is followed in many climates by a drier flowering period and fruit development as rains return. Cooler subtropical winters reduce growth and may prevent fruiting even where the tree survives. Water consistently during fruit development, but do not keep the root zone saturated during cool weather.

== Propagation ==

Fresh seed is the usual method. The seeds should not be allowed to dry and do not normally require stratification. Sow them shallowly in a moist medium and separate seedlings before their roots become crowded. Seedlings may be reasonably close to the parent, but superior fruiting plants are better preserved by air-layering or another clonal method.

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

The species is generally self-fertile and is visited by bees and other insects. Flowering and harvest vary with climate; in tropical regions flowering may be seasonal or sporadic. Fruit commonly follows flowering within several weeks. Harvest at full color because the fruit bruises easily and has a short storage life.

== Fruit and uses ==

The crisp, aromatic fruit is usually eaten fresh. It can also be made into jam, jelly, syrup, preserves, or desserts. The hollow fruit is light and delicate. Seeds and other plant parts have been reported as hazardous; use a reliable source before recommending medicinal or food use beyond the ripe flesh.

== Photos ==

[[File:Syzygium jambos Fruit and seeds IMG 4906.JPG|thumb|left|280px|Fruit cut open, showing the loose seeds.]]
[[File:Rose apple Syzygium jambos, AJT johnsingh. P1220996.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Cream-colored flowers.]]

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== Commentary ==

Share your experience growing this plant on the [[Talk:Fruit page format/Rose apple|Rose apple commentary page]]. Notes about climate, propagation, container culture, flowering, fruit quality, pests, and unusual local selections are all welcome.

When possible, include your location or climate, how the plant was propagated, its age, and any conditions that may help other growers understand the result.

== Sources ==

* [https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/rose_apple.html Morton: Rose Apple], ''Fruits of Warm Climates''.
* [https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Syzygium+jambos Useful Tropical Plants: ''Syzygium jambos''].
* [https://powo.science.kew.org/ Plants of the World Online], taxonomy and accepted-name reference.

== Image credits ==

* Fruit: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Syzygium_jambos_fruit.jpg PMATAS], CC BY-SA 4.0.
* Young leaves: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Syzygium_jambos-young_leaves.jpg Tonton Bernardo], CC BY-SA 3.0.
* Tree: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_050107-2977_Syzygium_jambos.jpg Forest & Kim Starr], CC BY 3.0.
* Flowers: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rose_apple_Syzygium_jambos,_AJT_johnsingh._P1220996.jpg Ajtjohnsingh], CC BY-SA 4.0.
* Fruit and seeds: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Syzygium_jambos_Fruit_and_seeds_IMG_4906.JPG JonRichfield], CC BY-SA 3.0.

[[Category:Fruit page format]]
[[Category:Working copies]]
[[Category:Syzygium]]