Syzygium cumini – The Black Plum
Syzygium cumini is an evergreen tropical tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae (the myrtle family), and favored for its fruit, timber, and ornamental value. It is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia.
- Family: Myrtaceae
- Genus: Syzygium
- Species: Syzygium cumini
- English names: black plum, Java plum, Malabar plum, jamun, jambolan
- Vietnamese: trâm, trâm mốc, trâm vối
In Vietnam, Syzygium cumini can be found in the central highlands and southern regions of the country. It is commonly called trâm, or sometimes trâm vối, trâm mốc to differentiate with some close relatives. The image of black plum trees even goes into poetry in Vietnam.
Uses
The wood of Syzygium cumini used to be exploited a lot for carpentry, but now due to the decrease in the forest area, wooden furniture made of this wood is no longer found.
The berry-like fruits are eaten as a rustic snack. It has an acrid and slightly sour taste when it is almost ripe and the sweet aroma taste when it is ripe.
Black plums may be made into juice, jelly, sorbet, syrup. In Vietnam, some Vietnamese chefs use the black plum sauce to cook in their restaurants.
Black plums can also be fermented to make black plum wine.
