Jambu is the Malay name for a tree that bears an edible fruit called a rose apple. The fruit got its name because it is shaped like an apple and tastes like rose water. A rose apple is really a berry and contains one or two large seeds.
Jambu trees are cultivated in many parts of Malaysia and rose apples are also collected from trees growing wild. The trees grow up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall, are evergreen, and have leathery leaves. The leaves have distinct veins around their edges. Although the trees are evergreen, new leaves and flowers will normally only grow after a period of dry weather. The flowers grow in compact bunches and can be green, white, red, or pale yellow. Rose apples are eaten by monkeys, squirrels, birds, and fruit bats.
