Introduction to the cultivation techniques and management methods of the rose apple (water rose apple)

Rose apple (water rose apple) Myrtaceae

Evergreen tree, 6-12 m tall. Bark smooth, grayish-brown, branching low, clear trunk height 1.5-3 m; crown oblate-spherical. Leaves opposite, leathery, lanceolate or long elliptic, 11-20 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, apex acuminate, base broadly cuneate, margin entire, leaf surface glossy, with transparent glands and marginal veins; petiole 7-10 mm long. Cyme terminal; flowers white, 3-4 cm in diameter; stamens numerous, about 25 cm long, delicately fragrant. Drupaceous berry, spherical. About 3 cm in diameter, pericarp fleshy, pale yellow when ripe, sweet and fragrant in taste; 1 seed, polyembryonic. Flowering period March-April: fruiting period June-July.

Distributed in southeastern, southern to southwestern China; also in Indochina and the Malay Archipelago. Commonly cultivated in southern China. Prefers a warm and humid climate; neutral, sun-loving yet shade-tolerant; prefers moisture, often growing by streams or in low moist places in valleys, waterlogging-tolerant, not tolerant of drought or barren conditions, grows well on fertile moist acidic soil or alluvial soil. Root system well developed, grows well, strong wind resistance, resistant to air pollution such as sulfur dioxide, chlorine, hydrogen fluoride, motor vehicle exhaust and dust.

Propagated by seed. Thousand-seed weight of fresh seeds about 4400 g. After the fruit ripens, remove the pericarp and sow immediately; germination rate is high. Seed dehydration or sun-drying will affect germination ability. For garden cultivation, 3-4-year-old seedlings are suitable, easy to survive and quick to show results.

Its branches droop and sway gracefully, leaves dense and deep green, tree form elegant, flowering and fruiting periods long. During the flowering period, numerous white flowers stand out against the green foliage, pure and elegant, giving off fragrance; during the fruiting period, pale yellow spherical fruits hang on the branches, eye-catching. Easy to propagate and cultivate, it is an excellent native tree species of the south. Suitable for planting by water, on embankments and in courtyards, and can also serve as a street tree in residential communities. The pericarp is edible, fragrant, crisp and delicious.