It is a tropical fruit that grows in south-east Asia, including southern India, Indonesia and Malaysia.
The Water Apple tree will grow anywhere from 10 to 30 feet tall (3 to 10 metres.) It will grow true to seed. In Malaya and Indonesia, it will give two crops a year. It has dull leaves that are light-green on top and yellowy-green underneath. It flowers with blossoms that vary from pale yellowish-white to pink-tinged,
The Water Apple fruit is very small, only up to ¾ inch (2 cm) long, and while some varieties can be relatively round, others are somewhat pear-shaped, being 1 ⅓ inches (3 ½ cm) wide at the bottom and very narrow at the top.
It has a glossy, thin, green or red skin, though a variety of the fruit in Indonesia has a white skin.
The flesh inside will be white or pink, and generally somewhat sweet. Some varieties can be tart, though. The flavour is very “mild” — some just say it’s very “faint.” Depending on the variety, the flesh can be crisp or soft, juicy or dry. Because of the faint flavour, if the flesh is juicy it sometimes just gets described as “watery”, and hence once of its names in English. Owing to this watery characteristic, it’s considered a good thirst-quencher.
It is generally seedless, but sometimes has 1 to 2 seeds, and occasionally 3 to 6.
The Water Apple can be eaten fresh, included in salads, or cooked. If it is picked underripe, it can be used for pickles or jelly. Young leaves from the tree can be used as a green, either raw or cooked
The Water Apple can be also grown in Hawaii and Trinidad.
History Notes
Native to southern India.