The oval fruits ripen from pink to dark purple to black, and have juicy, sweet flesh. They grow to about 3-5 cm in size and grow in clusters of up to 40. It can be made into jam, juice or a dessert, but usually the fruits are eaten as a hand fruit. In India, the fruits are also used in traditional medicine for people with diabetes. Originally, this species comes from India and Sri Lanka and in its natural habitat, the fruits are favoured by birds and small mammals, which thereby ensure the spread of the seeds. 

It is a tree that can reach a height of up to 30 metres in the tropics. However, from a height of 1.5 metres, the plant could already flower, making it also suitable as a houseplant or container plant. Give the plant a well-drained soil (mixture of potting soil and sand (2:1)) and a sunny location. The minimum temperature for the plant is around 5grC, making frost-free overwintering necessary. 

Sowing description: The seeds have a short shelf life and can be sown directly after arrival in sowing soil. Keep soil constantly slightly moist and allow to germinate at 25-30grC. 

Family: Myrtaceae
Scientific name: Syzygium cumini
Common name: Jambolan / Malabar plum
Native to: India and Sri Lanka

Sowing time: Year round
Difficulty: Intermediate
Minimum temperature: 5 degrees Celsius