'Ohi'a 'ai (Mountain Apple)
Common name: Mountain Apple
Status: Canoe Plant
Scientific name: Syzygium malaccense
Where to Find: Mesic valleys at low elevation
Mountain apples go by many names: malay apple, rose apple, pink satin-ash, and pomerac, here in the islands we call it ‘ōhi‘a ‘ai. Polynesians brought mountain apples to Hawai’i between 1,000 to 1,700 years ago. Since then it has naturalized throughout the Hawaiian islands and is the only area they are commonly found in the US. It is a very hard apple to find originating from Malaysia and Australia. The fruits are pear shaped and range from a light pink to a deep red. All parts of the fruit are edible, except for the one or two seeds that make up the inner “core” of the fruit.
Did You Know?
‘Ōhi‘a ‘ai is in the myrtle family of trees making it a relative of the guava and eucalyptus.
