What are these red fruits or vegetables?

November 1, 2022 7:43 AM

This picture was hanging in a pharmacy and I was trying to figure out what the 3 glossy red things on the top of the right side are. They are between the grapes and apples, behind the green stems on the red peppers. There are already other pears, apples, peppers, and tomatoes in the picture so I think those can be ruled out. Here is a similar one with them in roughly the same position.
posted by soelo to Food & Drink (7 answers total)

Best answer: They look like water apples to me.
posted by snofoam at 7:45 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Pommerac aka Rose Apple!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syzygium_malaccense
posted by nouvelle-personne at 7:46 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]

Huh, I would have assumed they were just more pears (upside-down, in order to make the curve of the heart work). I don't think that would be weird (I see apples used in a couple different spots) but I'm glad to have learned about water apples/rose apples!
posted by rivenwanderer at 8:42 AM on November 1, 2022

Rose Apples are new to me but I woulda said figs.
posted by wrm at 9:36 AM on November 1, 2022

Response by poster: Thanks! I looked at figs (way too purple), persimmons (orangey), pomegranates (too round), and dark pears. The shape is so distinctive.
posted by soelo at 9:39 AM on November 1, 2022

In Hawaii (where, as the Wikipedia article says, they were introduced as "canoe plants") they're called "mountain apples".
posted by LadyOscar at 11:19 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]

Jambu. Crisp but virtually tasteless .
posted by TWinbrook8 at 11:49 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]