Giant LauLau experience

[Reafs]

Greetings to you all

Do you grow giant Lau lau, syzygium megacarpa?
How does this fruit taste?
How long to fruit from seeds?

[echinopora]

I can’t say I have any experience growing it but I’ve eaten a few. The tree is attractive and large, the fruit is not quite what you would expect. It is much more dense and wet than most of its relatives, not really any crunch to it. I’ve had it off only 2 trees but the taste is a little sour and astringent.

Rob

[Vernmented]

I haven't heard anything good about the fruit. I have one in the ground and it is absolutely beautiful. It is planted pretty close to some other higher priority trees. I am hoping to get it to fruit and see how it handles some pruning to keep it in bounds. It was rare enough for me to keep it around a plant it out in my limited space.

[HIfarm]

I've never heard glowing reports either.  I think most reports I have seen say it is insipid.  I have one here in Hawaii and it, so far, has been growing slowly.  I am hoping it is nearing the point where it will kick into gear and start to put on some serious growth.  I think it is one of those fruit that are grown for its novelty value, not its flavor.

[Reafs]

Thanks Guys,

When I read reports on wax apple (syzygium samarangense) and mountain apple (syzygium malacense), it is often not glorious, yet for me born and raised under the tropic their are delicious.
I was hoping to have something similar here, crunchy, a lot of water, with some sugar depending on the genetic of the seeds.

I have 5 sprouting seeds, and do not have space for the 5, I hope one of them will grow sweet.

Do you think it can grow well in a 24 gallon container?

[xmario]

Yeah, I have tried it, somewhat sour and slightly astringent. This variety was not elongated but rather oval.
Check out the video I took on it in late July. At least it is not same season as the Malay Apple which is around March here in SFL, so you don't get doule flooded with fruit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i13oNxiLbs

[Mike T]

Only a few people around here have them and I haven't eaten fruit but have spread around seeds given to me before. Yes I have had mixed reports about fruit quality and flavour but it seems they are blander than Malay Apple and sometimes have a little sweetness.
The trees like lots of water and warmth.