Botanical name:
Syzygium cumini
Common names:
jambul,
Java plum, jamun, jambolan,
Black
plum, Jamun, Kalojam or Jam.
Family:
Myrtaceae
Description:
Syzygium
cumini is fast-growing tree ranges up to 30m in India and Oceania; 12-15m in Florida.
The bark on the lower part of the tree is rough, cracked, flaking and
discolored. The fruit is round or oblong, often curved, usually turns from
green to light-magenta, then dark-purple or nearly black as it ripens. The
fruit is usually astringent, sometimes unpalatably so, and the flavor varies
from acid to fairly sweet.
Phenology:
Syzygium
cumini trees start flowering from March to April.
The flowers are fragrant and
small, about 5 mm in diameter. S. cumini
fruits develop by May or June and resemble large berries.
Ecology/environment to
grow/habitat:
Soil type:
The
Syzygium cumini tree can be grown on
a wide range of soils. However, for high yield potential and good plant growth,
deep loam and a well-drained soil is needed. Such soils also retain sufficient
soil moisture which is beneficial for optimum growth and good fruiting. It can
grow well under salinity and waterlogged conditions too. However, it is not
recommended to grow Syzygium cumini
on very heavy or light sandy soils. Soil pH preference: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic).
Temperature:
It
is a tropical species which prefer mean annual temperatures around 25-27°C
though will grow in sub-tropical areas, being sensitive to frost when young but
mature trees have been undamaged by short frosts in southern Florida.
Rainfall:
S.
cumini grows best in wet regions with annual rainfall generally in excess of
1000 mm and up to 4000 mm, and even in some of the wettest places in the world
(10,000 mm), though it will tolerate drier sites especially when established
and on stony and/or gravely soils.
Land preference:
The S. cumini tree grows well from sea-level to 6,000 ft. (1,800 m) but, above 2,000 ft. (600 m) it does not fruit but can be grown for its timber.
Distribution:
The
tree occurs in the tropical and sub-tropical climates under a wide range of
environmental conditions. Syzygium cumini is native to
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Philippines, and
Indonesia.
Economic Importance /
Uses:
Wood uses:
Sources of strong heavy timber which is commonly used for beams and rafters,
posts, bridges, boats, oars, masts, troughs, well-lining, agricultural
implements, carts, solid cart wheels, railway sleepers and the bottoms of
railroad cars. It is a fairly satisfactory fuel.
Fruit uses:
Jam fruit possesses considerable nutritive value. Apart from minerals, sugars, and
proteins, it is a good source of iron also. Good quality jam juice
is excellent for sherbet, Vinegar, syrup and "squash".
Medicinal Uses:
The fruit is stated to be astringent, stomachic, carminative, antiscorbutic and
diuretic. Cooked to a thick jam, it is eaten to allay acute diarrhea. The juice
of the ripe fruit, or a decoction of the fruit, or jam vinegar, may be
administered in India in cases of enlargement of the spleen, chronic diarrhea
and urine retention.
Bark uses:
Jam bark yields durable brown dyes of various shades depending on the mordant
and the strength of the extract. The bark contains 8 to 19% tannin and is much
used in tanning leather and preserving fishing nets.
Leaves uses:
The leaves have served as fodder for livestock and as food for tassar
silkworms.
Nectar uses:
The jam tree is of real value in apiculture. The flowers have abundant nectar
and are visited by bees.
Seed uses: Seed powder of Syzygium cumini has significantly
reduced bith blood sugars (4-5) and fasting.
Other uses:
The tree is grown as shade for coffee in India and being wind-resistant is
sometimes planted in dense rows as a windbreak, and if topped regularly, such
plantings form a dense, massive hedge.
.jpg "Aegle marmelos fruit")
