Role Apple Tree

I have an enormous stream of thoughts, and I never get tired of writing, but when I write about plants it feels very peaceful and meaningful. So, I have started a series as a tribute to the trees that have given me joy. I wrote about the guava, mango, neem and cluster fig some time back.

Now let me write about the rose apple tree, a member of the Myrtaceae family, botanically known as Syzygium jambos. It's also called Malabar plum or manzana rosa.

My father was a great lover of plants, a green thumb, and we had an enviable yard in the front, sides, and back of our home. There were a dozen varieties of fruit trees.

In the front yard, to the left of the entryway, stood a twisted rose apple tree. Its leaves were like mango leaves, and when it bloomed, it produced beautiful greenish-white powder-puff-like flowers. They were very fragrant, like heaven, and soon they turned into fruits. When ripe, the fruits were yellow, spongy, and held brown seeds inside.

Many people in the neighborhood identified our house by this tree. I don't think anybody else has this tree in their yards. We called it gulab jamun tree, and people confused it with a namesake dessert. I often invited friends to taste the fruits. 

It was one of the first trees I learned to climb. I remember coming home from school, climbing the tree, and picking as much fruit as I wanted. Below the tree there was small cattle shed, and I would sometimes climb onto its tiled roof to reach the fruits. I was quite adventurous.

We always kept the best fruits for my father, out of respect. Even though there were many children in the house, the tree gave generously. The surplus was shared with guests.

Let me share an anecdote. One rainy day, while I was climbing the tree, I saw a large rat snake stretched across the branches. I was frightened and climbed down quickly. 

Over time, the tree aged and declined in size. The last time I saw, it was in 2019. I was pregnant then. Nearby stood an ixora shrub where a bulbul bird had built a nest. Whenever I approached, the bird would fly to the rose apple tree and perch on its high branches, waiting for me to move away.

We took photos with it as a backdrop, when guests visited.

My children now play with many toys, but I played with rose apple seeds, using them like marbles.

Later, the tree was cut down to make space for construction of a building. My mother often says, the house lost its glory and beauty. It was sad, but some seeds had been planted in the backyard. 

In 2023, when we visited again, a new tree in the backyard had grown tall and had started to bear fruit. 

Unfortunately, I have not tasted the fruit in a long time. Maybe, someday I will get to again.

My little daughter sat under the shade of the new tree. It's as if I time-travelled three decades back. It was emotional moment.

Once, while strolling through a neighborhood in Southern California, I saw a rose apple tree in someone's yard. You can imagine how much happiness that gave me. Nostalgic is my middle name.

I hope, you liked the art above, of me as a kid, planning to climb the tree.

So, it is my tribute to the rose apple tree. I already feel good, and the dead tree's soul must be showering blessings.

"There's nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend"- Bob Ross