The Mountain Apple is native to Malaysia and was brought to Hawaii by the Polynesians who first landed and settled here. It has spread through the lowland valleys on all the major islands and thrives even in the shade. Mountain apple grows tall and slender and can reach 40 feet in height when grown in ideal conditions. The flowers appear directly on the trunk and branches and soon fall, carpeting the ground a beautiful crimson red or snow white.

There are both red and white varieties of Mountain Apple. The white variety will turn slightly pink if left on the tree until fully ripe. The red variety is easier to market as it does not show blemishes to the skin like the white-fruited variety. The fruits develop quickly and can be either oval or pear-shaped with a white or red thin skin. They are normally ripe in the summer, but can bear two or three times yearly.

Give them balanced fertilizer regularly until they begin to bear fruit, then reduce the nitrogen in the fertilizer applications. The trees should begin to bear when they are between three to five years old.