Common Names: Java Plum, Black Plum, Jamun (Urdu)
Scientific Name: Syzygium Cumini
Suggested Uses: Street Trees, Shade Trees, Fruit Trees
Where to See: Private Residences
Jamun is a moderately sized evergreen tree known for its dense shade and small purple fruits. It is a rapidly growing tree and grows to about 35 feet tall in Karachi with a rather slender, wall-like shape. It has large oval leaves which emerge a brilliant green colour and fade to a mature dark green.
The Jamun fruit is small, round, and rather astringent. Its flesh is a deep, pigmented purple and it envelops a singular white seed inside. These fruits can easily stain any surface nearby so do exercise a fair bit of caution. They’re perhaps best eaten after aggressively tossing them with salt and sugar!
The Jamun Tree flowers between February and April. The flowers are in the shape of small united clusters which is where the tree gets its scientific name Syzygium cumini. Syzygium, here derives from a Greek word translating to united and Cumini refers to the bunch formation of the trees.