hu-waw! we call this 'tambis' in our dialect. 'makopa' is the bigger variety with a huge seed at the middle. thanks for posting this pic, asin na lang solb na :)

Is your dialect Hiligaynon or Visayan?

(please pass the salt (crunch, crunch)

finally, somebody who speaks my dialect. lis, this is what i've been telling you about -- tambis. makopa is different, darker in color and more fleshy.

hiligaygon :)

Tambis man o macopa... ah basta, manungkit na tayo! At huwag kalimutan ang asin!!! :-)

Seems I triggered some inner-philippines identity finding here, hehe. Yes, these are the ones, Jigs. I love them for the amazing amount of water in a relatively hard fruit. Its like drinking and eating at the same time...

How are you getting along?

For everybody's information... tambis is different from macopa. Believe me because TAMBIS is my family name from Davao City... WATER APPLE is the english for tambis.

Bing, someone finally resolved our debate! Thanks, Mr. Allangeorgetambis! :-)

All about TAMBIS
The water apple is the least of the small group of somewhat similar fruits of the genus Syzygium (family Myrtaceae). This species, S. aqueum Alst. (syn. Eugenia aquea Burm. f.), also known as watery rose apple, is distinguished in Malaya as jambu chili, jambu ayer, jambu ayer mawar, or jambu penawar; in Indonesia as djamboo aer, djamboo wer, or djamboo wir. In the Philippines, it is called tambis; in Thailand, it is chom-phu-pa.
Description
The tree may reach 10 or even 32 ft (3-10 m); has a short, crooked trunk branching close to the ground, and a nonsymmetrical, open crown. The opposite leaves, on very short, thick petioles, are obovate- or elliptic-oblong, cordate at the base and clasping the twig; blunt and notched or short-pointed at the apex; 2 to 10 in (5-25 cm) long, 1 to 6 3/8 in (2.5-16 cm) wide; dull, light-green above, yellowish-green beneath; leathery; not aromatic or only slightly so when crushed. Flowers, faintly fragrant, are home in loose terminal or axillary clusters of 3 to 7, mostly hidden by the foliage. The 4-parted calyx and 4 petals are pale-yellow, yellowish-white or pinkish and there are numerous concolorous stamens to 3/4 in (2 cm) long. Thin-skinned and shining, the fruit varies from white, to light-red or red, is pear-shaped with a narrow neck and broad apex; 5/8 to 3/4 in (1.6-2 cm) long, 1 to 1 1/3 in (2.5-3.4 cm) wide. The apex is concave; bears the thick calyx segments and the protruding, slender, bristle-like style. The flesh is white or pink, mildly fragrant, dry or juicy, crisp or spongy, and usually of sweetish but faint flavor. There may be 3 to 6 small seeds, frequently only 1 or 2, but generally the fruits are seedless.
Origin and Distribution
The water apple occurs naturally from southern India to eastern Malaysia. It is commonly cultivated in India, southeastern Asia, and Indonesia. In the Philippines, it grows as though wild in the Provinces of Mindanao, Basilan, Dinagat and Samar. It has never bee

been widely distributed but is occasionally grown in Trinidad and Hawaii. It was introduced into Puerto Rico in 1927 but survived only a few years.
Varieties
In Indonesia, two forms are recognized–one white-fruited and the other red, the color of the latter developing from the base upward. Much variation is seen in the fruits from different trees in Malaya and the flavor of some types is quite acid.
Climate
The water apple is suited only to low altitudes in the tropics and areas where there is rainfall fairly well spaced throughout the year.
Propagation
The tree may be air-layered or budded onto rootstocks of Eugenia javanica Lam. or E. densiflora A. DC. Experiments in Hawaii proved that cuttings can be successfully rooted.
Culture
Little cultural attention has been given the water apple. In Indonesia, when it is set out in orchards, it is spaced at a 20 to 26 ft (6-8 m) distance from tree-to-tree.
Season
In Malaya there are two crops a year, one in the spring and a second in the fall. In Indonesia, the tree frequently blooms in July and again in September, the fruits ripening in August and November.
Food Uses
The water apple is mainly consumed by children, the appeal being largely its thirst-relieving character. In Indonesia, the fruits are sold in markets in piles or skewered on slender bamboo sticks. Superior types are sometimes served sliced in salads. According to early writings, a water apple salad is a ceremonial dish for new mothers.
Other Uses
Wood: The wood is hard and is fashioned into small pieces of handicraft.
Medicinal Uses: A decoction of the astringent bark is a local application on thrush.

In addition, in the Philippines there are three varieties. These are the RED-FRUITED, WHITE-FRUITED, and the GREEN-FRUITED. The most common among them is the RED-FRUITED one.

Allan George J. Tambis
Researcher and Developer

chohm-poo? Sounds like "Chumpoy" or "Trompo".

I agree with Allan. That looks "Tambis" if you come from the Visayas region. Parang Makopa nga siya. Both are very juicy. You don't need to add salt because the juice is good enough for anyone's tastebuds.

It's one of my favourite fruit that I miss so much here in Australia.

Sige, mag-debate kayo ni Bing-Galing! Basta ako,
whatever the color, macopa pa rin siya! ;-)
But thanks, Allan George J. Tambis, for your very
enlightening tidbits.

You are very much welcome, Jigs!

Anyways, I really wanted Mindanao to be separated from Philippines!!!

Dominus vobiscum, Mindanao!!!

I agree. Tambis is differrent from makopa. Kaya nga tinawag na tambis at hindi makopa. Gets niyo ba ako..hahaha

Pax vobiscum.+.

I really like tambis and fun of eating it because of it's sweet and delicious taste!I hope that many filipinoes will learn to love eating tambis and i assure you,,,,you will love it!

Finally!!!!!!!! I found just the right thing to say to friends, uhrmmmm george I hope you wont mind if I get some of your description of the tambis huh (thanks!)...tambis and macopa are two different fruits actually...friends kept arguing 'bout this, good enough Mindanao has the tambis and the macopa at the same time and I guess everyone from Mindanao knew the difference....we have at least three tambis tree in our backyard.