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Jamun in Delhi: the tree behind the purple pavements
Syzygium cumini
Jamun (Java plum) is the avenue tree of Lutyens' Delhi: in June, according to the guide, the deep shade over the central roads is almost all this one species. The fruit falls in June and July, and the purple stain it leaves on the pavement is the easiest way to spot the tree. In the parks, it is common in Lodhi Garden, Sunder Nursery and the Amrit Udyan gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Jamun is the avenue tree of Lutyens' Delhi: the deep shade over the central roads in June is almost all one species, and the purple stain on the pavement is the giveaway.
Where to see it
Lodhi Garden
Amrit Udyan (Rashtrapati Bhavan Gardens)
Sunder Nursery
👀 How to recognise it
Glossy leathery leaves that smell faintly of turpentine when crushed, and in June–July a purple-stained pavement underneath.
On the avenues and in the gardens
The simplest place to see jamun is the street. It is the avenue tree of Lutyens' Delhi, the planned capital around Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate: big evergreens with dense, dark crowns, planted for shade along the central roads. In June and July, look down rather than up: squashed fruit and a purple-stained footpath mark the jamuns along the road.
In the parks, the guide marks it as common in three gardens:
- Lodhi Garden: among the old trees around the tombs in the centre of the city.
- Sunder Nursery: in the landscaped park next to Humayun's Tomb.
- Amrit Udyan: the Mughal-style terraced gardens behind Rashtrapati Bhavan. They open to the public only in season, with slots booked online; the main season runs from around February to the end of March, and shorter summer and monsoon windows are announced by the Bhavan itself. Whether the gardens are open while the fruit is falling depends on those windows.
The jamun year in Delhi
The tree is evergreen, so it is there in every season. Tiny fragrant flowers, about 5 mm across, appear in March and April. The fruit ripens from green through pink and crimson to shining black, and in Delhi it falls in June and July, with the monsoon.
June is one of Delhi's hardest months, with heatwaves of 45 °C and more, and that is when the guide describes the deep shade of the jamun avenues over the central roads. July is easier.
The fruit, and the stain
Ripe jamun is sweet, mildly sour and astringent at the same time, and it turns your tongue purple. It is eaten raw and made into juice, jam and the dark syrup sold as kala khatta. The colour stays on fabric too: wear something you do not mind staining if you pick fruit up from the ground.
The old Sanskrit name is jambu, and it reaches far: Jambudvipa, the land of jambu trees, is the old name for India in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cosmology. More on the species is on the jamun page; the other trees of the city, from semal to amaltas, are on trees and flowers of Delhi.
❓ FAQ
Which month is jamun season in Delhi?
The fruit falls in June and July. The tree flowers earlier, in March and April.
Where can I see jamun trees in Delhi?
Along the avenues of Lutyens' Delhi, and in Lodhi Garden, Sunder Nursery and the Amrit Udyan gardens when they are open.
How do I recognise a jamun tree?
Glossy, leathery leaves that smell faintly of turpentine when crushed, and in June and July a purple-stained pavement underneath.
What is jamun called in English?
Java plum, also black plum or jambolan. Its scientific name is Syzygium cumini.