Thai Wax Apple

Inventory, lb : 0

Seasons/Availability

Thai Wax apples are available in spring and can be sometimes found at local farmers market or online.

Current Facts

Also called the love apple, Jamaican apple, water apple, maple apple, otaheite apple, and mountain apple. In Taiwan and China it is known as lianwu, chomphu in Thailand, and jamalac in French. Growing on the Syzygium samarangense, a large tropical tree, Thai Wax apples are the fruiting, edible berry that develop in clusters at any point along the tree. A mature Thai Wax apple tree can grow up to 60 feet in height and may produce up to 700 pounds of fruit in a single crop.

Description/Taste

Thai Wax apples are bell-shaped when ripe and their skin color may range from black to purple to red to pale green. A ripe, healthy wax apple will display a light sheen, resembling a wax coating. The Thai Wax apple has a flavor similar to an Asian pear, with a watermelon-like texture. Protruding slightly at the blossom end, the Wax apple has a large seed cavity, often removed before serving

Nutritional Value

Thai Wax apples have been found to contain oleanolic acid. The root is effective against dysentery, and may be used as a diuretic.

Applications

Thai Wax apples are served fresh, often uncut, with the core removed.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

Called "Black Pearls" in Taiwan, the darker, purple-black fruit are the most prized. Darker, paler fruits tend to be the sweetest.

Geography/History

The Thai Wax apple tree is native to Bangladesh, Philippines, India, Malaysia, Samoa and Indonesia. Strictly a tropical tree, the Portuguese brought the first Jamaican apple (Thai Wax apple) to East Africa.


Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Thai Wax Apple. One is easiest, three is harder.

My Rustic Bajan Garden		Malay Apple Preserves
The Baker Within		Otaheite Apple Tart

Recently Spotted
Someone spotted Thai Wax Apple using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.

Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.

Silom Bangkok Thailand Near Bangkok, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Bangkok, Thailand About 137 days ago Spotter's comments : Just walking down a small residential road near Silom Square when I bumped into a huge pile of extremely ripe Thai Wax Apples that had just freshly fallen off the tree!