Jamun

Syzygium cumini

Tree20×10 mzone 10–12partial shade🍎 Edible

Will it grow where I live?

Jamun is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.

Or check it for your location right here:

Winter hardiness by USDA zone, summer warmth by heat sum – the same values the app and the plant finder use.

Profile

Family: Myrtaceae
Habit: Tree
Height: 20 m
Spread: 10 m
Growth: very fast
Lifespan: 100 years
First yield: after 7 years
Hardiness: zone 10–12
Shade tolerance: partial shade
Soil: Sand, Silt, Loam
Soil moisture: dry – very wet
pH: 5.5 – 8

evergreensuitable for hedgesscentednectar source

Flowering & harvest

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Flowering
Fruit harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible7 of 10

Medicinal5 of 10

Other uses5 of 10

Medicinal: Medicinal: in Ayurvedic medicine known worldwide. Particularly the seeds are used as supportive treatment for diabetes (blood-sugar-lowering). The bark is used for digestive problems.

Other uses: Die Rinde enthält 13–19 % Tannine. Sie wurde zum Gerben verwendet und liefert außerdem einen braunen Farbstoff, der zum Färben und Konservieren von Fischernetzen eingesetzt wurde. Die Zweige werden zum Zähnebleichen verwendet. Das rötlich-graue oder rötlich-braune Kernholz ist feinkörnig und wird im Außenbau und im Zimmererhandwerk verwendet. Holz ist wasserbeständig, termitenresistent und lässt sich, obwohl es schwierig zu bearbeiten ist, gut sägen und maschinell bearbeiten. Es wird im Bauwesen, Bootsbau, für Sperrholz für Tee- und Truhenzwecke, landwirtschaftliche Geräte, Werkzeuggriffe, Wagenräder, Brunnenränder und -tröge, Schwellen, Möbel sowie als Stützkonstruktion für Schächte und Stollen in Bergwerken verwendet. Außerdem dient es dem Brückenbau und der Herstellung von Musikinstrumenten, insbesondere Gitarren.

⚠️ Hazards

Ungiftig. Die Früchte färben jedoch Zunge und Haut intensiv violett-schwarz (starke Farbstoffe).

This is no substitute for expert identification. When in doubt, do not eat it.

Frequently asked questions

Jamun: how big does it get?

Jamun (Syzygium cumini) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 20 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 10 m. Growth is very fast.

Jamun: what site does it need?

Jamun tolerates partial shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – very wet. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 8.

Jamun: is it hardy?

Jamun is listed as hardy in zone 10–12 and survives normal winters outdoors there.

Jamun: will it grow in Central Europe?

Jamun: when does it flower?

In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers in April.

Jamun: when is it harvested?

In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate the fruit ripens in June.

Jamun: is it poisonous?

No toxicity is recorded for Jamun. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.

Jamun: what is it used for?

Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 7/10, Medicinal 5/10, Other uses 5/10.

Community experience

No first-hand reports for this plant yet.

Growing it? Write in the app what works for you – your post will show up here.

💬 Get the app and join in

Plan this plant into your own garden

Permaplans plans your garden to scale on the map — with a site check, harvest calendar and over 1,000 plants. Free for iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows & Linux.

Get the app for free

Will this plant grow where you live? → Check your site