my mouth is watering just thinking about it
^____^

I believe you're talking about the Water Apple or Wax Jambu, Syzygium javanicum. It's a tropical plant, common in Vietnam. It can grow in South Florida and some specialty nurseries there sell the plant. I don't know if it'll grow in California.

Here is a link that might be useful: water apple

that's it!!!! thanx for the info phivang!!!! can it be grown in the greenhouse? my grandma bought me 5 of them here in los angeles for $15!!! i was almost in tears when i tasted it again~
:gloria:

Hmm...it will have to be a big greenhouse, the tree can be quite large, I don't know if there are dwarf varieties now. Try searching the Internet for "Syzygium javanicum", you will find nurseries in Florida.

It's probably easier to find a fruit supplier in Florida, or better yet, find a friend in Florida who can ship the fruit over.

I used to eat lots of them at my grand-parents' house in the country side when I was little. It's not a commercially grown fruit so you just don't get them now, unlike lychee, mango or longan for example.

Also, I've seen them sold in Vietnamese supermarkets in Orange County from time to time.

Ohhh... so much memories with this fruit trees.... We had a few in our yard in VN and love to pick them. Yum-yum just to think of them. I remember that fire ants love to make leaves nest from these trees. My brother and I used to burn these nests and watching them going in chaos! My mom would run outside and stop us before we burn up the trees. Lol... we later, would do it all over again and every time my mom would run us off.

So much fond childhood memories we had. We had so much fun with our backyard full of tropical fruits and no need to have tv, video games, or computers to keep us entertained.

Yep, I miss the fruits most of all and I'm so glad that we now can grow them or have them in our local supermarkets :~)

Are you talking about Lian Voo. I know those. I don't know what they called here. I've been here twenty years, too. I also like pipa, oh I would die to have one of those. Oh, and the spikey chirimoya, too. I would definitely kill for a Taiwanese green mango.

Believe it or not, Pipa (which are expensive in taiwan) grow like weeds here in the US! In Florida, people throw away the fruits! I was walking along my neighborhood in Texas, and I saw the beautiful pale orange fruits on an overgrown tree! I had to ring the doorbell to find out what they were called in the US! The lady said, take them! she would never imagine eating them!! They are called "Loquats" here in the US. These plants are often used for landscaping because they are evergreens. Good luck!! And let me know if you ever find out how to grow the Lian Voo, or water apple!! I would love to grow them too!!

Subliminal -

From your page, I assume you live in the LA area (that bit about breaking into the industry). I checked the California Rare Fruit Growers site (I'm looking for good fruits to grow myself) and they say your Wax Jambu is damaged at 31 degrees, and killed at 26. They also list several suppliers, most in Florida or the San Diego area.

If you're on the coast up here, it will surely survive the winter but may not get enough sun and warmth to fruit. If you're in the hills or the valley, and blessed with an accomodating microclimate, it would probably grow very well, although you may need to put it against a warm wall for the winter.

I don't know about water apple, but loquat should tolerate some frost, even snow. In the town where I grow up, loquat tree set fruits. And it snows in the winter months there. I used to drool over these fruits every time I walk by the tree. I have seen both loquat and plumot (not sure I spelled that correctly, it is called You Zi in Chinese) growing in Florida. Wish I am somewhere warm enough to grow them. Well, then I can grow my peonies. Tough choices.

Ying

I don't know if this is helpful, but my mother in law is growing water apple in Harbor City ( Los Angeles ) and it has fruited prolifically for the past couple of years.
It's planted in the back yard of their condo against a wooden fence, and the location is quite sheltered ( near buildings). I don't know if it will survive forever, but it's done well so far.

--Albert

I'd given up on finding a regular source for wax apples long ago, and describing it's airy texture, and it's tart flavor was just pure frustration.

Then one day while I was walking through Pike Place Market with a friend, she spotted some rhubarb and asked me if I'd ever tried it. When I said no, the vendor cut us a length to munch on. I was delighted to find the familiar tart flavor flooding my mouth.

Is it a coincidence that both have a similar red/magenta color?

Boy, I would love to have some pipa! Now I'm inspired to find a way to grow some!

I am not Asian but am originally from Louisiana. The loquats are easy to grow there -- they don't like frost. I never knew what they were until I read this thread. Nobody eats them, I guess they don't know what they are.

But Seattle doesn't have frost, no? So, try growing them, you never know!

I grow figs here in Northern VA by growing them on the north wall of the house, which is brick. I don't have to give them any other special treatment.

I grew a wax jambu from seed. It's ultra tropical but i am in 8b and trying to grow it. It is 4 ft now and I have it in this weird nook where it is surrounded on 3 sides by brick house and the open side is south facing. If it survives, I think I will be one of the few, if not the only person, in the city with this tree! What a challenge!

This all sounds absolutely delicious. You're fortunate you live in warmer zones!

check it out, this is a tree in Anaheim, CA {{gwi:389582}}
It produces 3-4 crops per year. A sweet variety, very delicious and refreshing. Best jambus I've ever had.
{{gwi:389584}}, fruits are smaller than the summer crop but tastes exactly the same.