Siam Villa Garden: Malay Apples

Malay Apple is a species of flowering tree native to Malesia and Australia. It is one of the species cultivated since prehistoric times by the Austronesian peoples. They were carried and introduced deliberately to Remote Oceania as canoe plants. In modern times, it has been introduced throughout the tropics, including many Caribbean countries and territories.

It is known as a Malay rose apple, or simply Malay apple, mountain apple, rose apple, Otaheite apple, pink satin-ash, plumrose and pommerac (derived from pomme Malac, meaning "Malayan apple" in French). Despite the fact that it is sometimes called the otaheite cashew, it is not related to cashew. While cashew nuts (but not cashew fruits) may trigger allergic reactions, rose apple fruit has not been observed to do so. In Costa Rica is known as Manzana de Agua. It is found mainly in the rainy zones on the Atlantic Coast of the country. In Colombia, Puerto Rico, and other Latin American countries is also found and known as Poma Rosa.[citation needed] In Papua New Guinea, it is known as laulau.

The health benefits of Malay apples include their ability to reduce inflammation, improve the health of the skin, boost circulation, build stronger bones, improve vision health, strengthen and improve the quality of hair, and prevent the development of cataracts.