Syzygium (malaccense)
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Kim Wilkinson Craig Elevitch Permanent Agriculture Resources P.O. Box 428 Holualoa, Hawaii 96725 808-324-4427 808-324-4129 (fax) par@agroforestry.net www.agroforestry.net |
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| Family Scientific Name: | Myrtaceae | ||
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| Family Common Name: | Myrtle | ||
| Scientific Name: | Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merr. & Perry | ||
| Common Synonym: | Eugenia malaccensis L. | ||
| Common Name: | mountain apple, Malay apple; 'ohi'a 'ai (Hawaii); kavika (Fiji); fekika kai (Tonga); nonu fi'afi'a (Samoa) ka'ika (Cooks) 'ahi'a (Societies); kehika (Marquesas) | ||
| Ecotype: | Tropical moist lowlands from 0-1200 m elevation | ||
| General Distribution: | Native to Asia and Malaysia, and aboriginal introduction to most islands of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia and Hawaii. Now pantropical in distribution. | ||
| Known Invasiveness: | This species is widely introduced throughout other tropical regions of the world where it may be invasive in some areas and invasiveness outside its naturally occurring range is unknown. | ||
| Propagation Goal: | plants | ||
| Propagation Method: | seed | ||
| ProductType: | Container (plug) | ||
| Time To Grow: | 0 | ||
| Target Specifications: | Seedlings have reached target when approximately 30 cm in height, with well-formed root systems that are not root-bound but that fill out the container. | ||
| Propagule Collection: | Trees can bear fruit 2-4 times a year, most reliably in summer and/or fall. Flowering if often brought on by dry conditions, with fruit ripe and ready to pick about 2 months after blooming. There is one seed per fruit. (Surrounding fruit may be eaten fresh.) The seed is 2-3.5 cm in diameter. Seeds cannot be stored, they must be planted fresh. | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: | No pretreatment is necessary. | ||
| Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops: |
Seedlings are grown in full sun in the open or under light shade. Treepots (Small Ones, about 3/4 gallon, or Tall Ones, 1 gallon) or other root-training containers can be used. Copper-treated poly bags 1/2 gallon or more may also work. A well-drained potting media such as 50% Sunshine peat moss, 25% perlite, 25% vermiculite, amended with a little compost, dolomite lime, gypsum, micronutrients, Osmocote 14-14-14 is used. Potting media should also be inoculated with VAM (mycorrhizal fungi), available from commercial suppliers and garden centers. | ||
| Establishment Phase: | Fresh seeds are direct sown in containers filled with premoistened potting media and covered with about 2 cm of potting media and a thin layer of mulch (such as #2 poultry grit). Water with a fine-headed sprayer to keep moist. Daily water is necessary, sometimes twice a day during establishment. These trees are from a moist climate and must never be allowed to dry out. Germination takes 2-4 weeks. | ||
| Length of Establishment Phase: | 4 weeks | ||
| Active Growth Phase: | Seedlings can be grown in light shade or full sun. Growth is slow. Amending with additional fertilizer such as a light top dressing of Gro-More 8-8-8 will aid in growth and development. If any weeds enter the soil-free media, they should be removed. | ||
| Length of Active Growth Phase: | 6 months | ||
| Hardening Phase: | If seedlings are to be outplanted in full sun conditions, they may be moved to full sun 1-2 months prior to outplanting for hardening. During the hardening phase, N fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated in fertilizer applications. | ||
| Length of Hardening Phase: | 4 weeks | ||
| Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: | When seedlings have reached target size, they may be delivered to the planting site. They are not extracted from their container or stored before shipping. Keeping seedlings in their container is necessary to protect the roots. Containers may be stood up in cardboard boxes. Carefully cutting the poly bag is preferred to pulling seedings out, to reduce stress or risk of root damage. Seedlings must be protected from wind and excessive heat during transport, but refrigeration is not recommended. Empty containers and trays may be returned after the planting is complete. | ||
| References: |
Clarke, W.C. and R.R. Thaman. Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability. United Nations University Press, New York. Morton, J.F. 1987. Fruits of Warm Climates. Media, Inc. Greensboro, N.C., USA. Thaman, R.R., C.R. Elevitch and K.M. Wilkinson. 2000. "Multipurpose Trees for Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands. In: Elevitch, C.R. and K.M. Wilkinson. 2000. Agroforestry Guides for Pacific Islands. Permanent Agriculture Resources, Holualoa, HI. web: http://www.agroforestry.net Verheij, E.W.M. and R.E. Coronel, Eds. 1992. Plant Resources of Southeast Asia No. 2: Edible Fruits and Nuts. PROSEA, Bogor, Indonesia. |
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Citation:
Elevitch, Craig R.; Wilkinson, Kim M.. 2004. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merr. & Perry plants Permanent Agriculture Resources Holualoa, Hawaii. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/05/01). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
