Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Syzygium myrtifolium (Roxb.) Walp. (MYRTACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Kelat Paya, Red Lip

Description

Medium-sized evergreen tree to 20 m tall. Leaves c. 7.5 cm long, elliptic to lanceolate, opposite, young leaves distinctively reddish, turning re-brown then green. Flowers c. 2 cm across, in terminal and subterminal axillary clusters, white. Fruits c. 9 mm across, globose or ellipsoid, ripening dark purple to black.

Ecology

In evergreen forest to 1,000 m altitude.

Distribution

NE India, Myanmar, Thailand, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Philippines.

Uses

In recent decades, this species has become popular in cultivation as tree, and it also can be easily pruned to any shape. The new leaf flush is an attractive red, there is a variety with maroon flush.