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Rose Apples are not apples; they are another fruit altogether that grow in the tropics.

The tree is a tropical evergreen that grows up to 3 metres (10 feet) tall. It will survive temperatures down to 25 F (-4 C.)

It will grow true to seed, but the quality of fruit from trees grown from seed is unreliable as they can produce very dry, tasteless fruits.

The Rose Apple tree has glossy leaves, which are pink at first, turn pale green and then turn to dark green on top and lighter underneath. The leaves will be 4 to 9 inches (10 to 23 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide, and are very decorative.

The tree blooms with white or greenish-white flowers 2 to 4 inches wide (5 to 10 cm), and grow in clusters of 5. Bees love the flowers.

A tree requires four years of growth to start producing fruit, and then will produce only about 5 pounds (2 kg) of fruit a year.

The Rose Apple fruit is ready to pick 3 months after blossoming, when it starts to get hollow inside so that the seeds rattle around inside. They are egg-shaped and about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) wide and 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) long. They have smooth, thin, waxy, pale yellow skin with some pink flushes. The white flesh inside is crisp, faintly sweet and fragrant, but it is far from juicy: it is more dry and woody and actually doesn't have much taste. There will be 1 or 2 seeds, occasionally up to 4.

The Rose Apple bruises easily and doesn't store well as it goes soft quickly in storage.

Rose Apples are not grown commercially because of the low yield, bruising, and bad storage,

Rose Apples are only grown in home gardens as an ornamental, and children are often allowed to pick the fruit if they wish. In Guatemala, it has been used as a hedgerow around coffee plantations, being pruned into shape.

Cooking Tips
Rose Apples can be cooked with other fruits that add some flavour, candied, or made into preserves.

Nutrition
The seeds are toxic and must be discarded.

History
Rose Apples are native to Malaysia and were introduced into Jamaica in 1762, and brought to Hawaii in 1825 from Brazil.

They were first planted in Florida sometime before 1877, and in Australia around 1896.

Language Notes
They are called Rose Apples in English because their fragrance reminded some people of rose water.

Rose Apples are also called "Malabar Plum", though that name is sometimes also applied to another fruit, the Jambolan.

Also called:

Other entries for: Exotic Fruit

Abiu, Acerola, Ackee, Atemoya, Bread Fruit, Caimito, Canistel, Carissa, Chempedak, Custard Apple, Durians, Feijoa, Jaboticaba, Jackfruit, Java Apples, Jujube Fruit, Karanda, Longan, Lychee Fruit, Malay Apples, Mangosteen, Marang, Pawpaw, Pitahaya Fruit, Prickly Pears, Pulasan, Rambutans, Rose Apple, Soursop, Star Anise Fruit, Sugar Apples, Tamarillos, Tejocotes, Water Apple, Ximenia, Yellow Mombin

Other entries for:

Fruit
Bananas, Bletting, Candied Fruit, Citrus Fruit, Dried Fruit, Drupes, Hard Fruit, Olives, Rhubarb, Soft Fruit