Malay Apple OK In Riverside-Temecula Area?

[Mugenia]

Folks,

I am thinking to plant couple of Malay apple trees for shade and fruit in my back yard. I have a question. Can they survive the winter in the Riverside-Temecula area? My brother said I should be fine. He said he's not seen frost in years. Thanks!

[nullzero]

I highly doubt they will survive more then a very mild winter.  I lost a wax jambu in mission viejo due to a cold early spring storm which dropped some hail on the plants during the day.

[Mugenia]

Thanks Nullzero!

[fyliu]

Malay apple is supposed to be more tropical than wax apple. People generally recommend greenhouse.

[garager]

I'm in East Temecula's wine country area. I'd be more concerned about the humidity than freezing (as long as the trees don't get too tall, a couple strands of old-school Xmas tree lights and/or a cover will help on those cold nights.)

Although I don't have malay apple yet, we only lost the pitayas (in the open spaces - covered ones were OK) a couple of years ago when we had the New Year's eve snowfall.

Lemme know how it turns out, should you give it a try.

[Guayaba]

Given that you are in USDA zone 9b and that is rated at average winter ultimate lows between 20-25F your chances of being successful growing the tropical Malay Apple (Syzygium malaccense) would not be good.  The tree doesn't like frost and if a freeze occurred, it would most likely die.  Like a lot of tropical trees the important thing is the average winter temperatures and as Garager said, humidity.  Our winter night temperatures may not always get down enough for a frost or freeze, but weeks in the mid to low 40's would most likely kill the tree as well as the low humidity and Santa Ana winds in the fall.  A better choice would be the Wax Jambu (Syzygium samarangense) as Nullzero pointed out, it can still be effected by our low temperatures when young.  Wax Jambu is rated for California from zones 11a to 10a and some warm 9b locations, and there are many growing along the coast from Los Angeles to San Diego.  If you were to try growing Wax Jambu in your area, be prepared to protect the plant with frost fabric and lights as Garager pointed out.  I do this for my Jackfruit and Caimito in case a frost warning comes and I can avoid having the plants damaged.  Hot and dry conditions will stress Wax Jambu out as well. My young trees hate it when the humidity drops below 20% and we get temperatures in the mid to upper 90's in September and October.

[Vernmented]

I have read reports of Syzygium jambos fruiting in Northern California. I would at least use this as the rootstock.

[Mugenia]

Thank you, everyone for the wonderful information! Looks like I am going to stick with the Jumba wax for now.