Plum
"Plum" is also a nickname for British humorist P.G. Wodehouse.A
plum is a
stone fruit tree in the genus
Prunus, subgenus
Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera (
peaches,
cherries,
bird cherries, etc) in the shoots having a terminal bud and the side buds solitary (not clustered), the flowers being grouped 1-5 together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one side, and a smooth stone. The subgenus is divided into three sections:
*Sect.
Prunus (
Old World plums). Leaves in bud rolled inwards; flowers 1-3 together; fruit smooth, often wax-bloomed. Species:
P. cerasifera, P. cocomilia, P. consociiflora, P. domestica, P. salicina, P. simonii, P. spinosa.
*Sect.
Prunocerasus (
New World plums). Leaves in bud folded inwards; flowers 3-5 together; fruit smooth, often wax-bloomed. Species:
P. alleghaniensis, P. americana, P. angustifolia, P. hortulana, P. maritima, P. mexicana, P. nigra, P. orthosepala, P. subcordata.
*Sect.
Armeniaca (
Apricots). Leaves in bud rolled inwards; flowers very short-stalked; fruit velvety. Treated as a distinct subgenus by some authors. Species:
P. armeniaca, P. brigantina, , P. sibirica.
Plum fruit is sweet, juicy and edible, and it can be eaten fresh or used in
jam-making or other recipes. Plum juice can be fermented into
plum wine; when distilled, this produces a
brandy known in Eastern Europe as
Slivovitz. Dried plums are known as
prunes. Prunes are sweet and juicy. They also contain several
antioxidants that may slow aging.
Prune marketers in the
United States have, in recent years, begun marketing their product as "dried plums", because "prunes" has negative connotations of being unappetizing, and suitable only for the elderly.
Various flavours of dried plum are available in South East Asia and specialty stores worldwide. They tend to be much dryer than prunes and are available in a variety of flavours. Cream, Ginsing, Spicy, and Salty are some of the common varieties.
Licorice is generally used to intensify the flavour of these varieties. This variety is used to make salty plum drinks and toppings for
Shaved Ice or
baobing.
Pickled plums are another type of preserved plum available in Asia and specialty stores worldwide. The Japanese variety, called
umeboshi, is often used for rice balls.
Prune kernel oil is made from the fleshy inner part of the pit of the plum.
Plums come in a wide variety of colours and sizes. Some are much firmer-fleshed than others and some have yellow, white, green or red flesh, with equally varying skin colour.
Plums and prunes are known for their
laxative effect. This effect has been attributed to various compounds present in the fruits, such as
dietary fibre,
sorbitol,
[M. Roach, The power of prunes (1999)] and
isatin.
[Innvista article on plums] Prunes and prune juice are often used to help regulate the functioning of the
digestive system.
 |
Plums |
Plum
cultivars in use today include:
*
Damson, or
Damask Plum*
Greengage, or greengage plum (firm, green flesh and skin even when ripe)
*
Mirabelle (a dark yellow plum predominantely grown in
France)
* Satsuma plum (firm red flesh with a red skin)
* Golden or yellowgage plum (like the greengage, but yellow)
When it flowers in the early spring, a plum tree will be covered in
blossom, and in a good year approximately 50% of the flowers will be pollinated and become plums. Flowering starts after 80
growing degree days.
If the weather is too dry the plums will not develop past a certain stage, but will fall from the tree while still tiny green buds, and if it is unseasonably wet or if the plums are not harvested as soon as they are ripe, the fruit may develop a fungal condition called
brown rot. Brown rot is not toxic, and very small affected areas can be cut out of the fruit, but unless the rot is caught immediately the fruit will no longer be edible. Plum is used as a food plant by the
larvae of some
Lepidoptera including
November Moth,
Willow Beauty and
Short-cloaked Moth.
The plum (
Serbain: шљива / šljiva) and the alcoholic drink
slivovitz (
Serbain: шљивовица / šljivovica) are both very popular in
Serbia, where plum production averages 424,300 tonnes per year; FAO 1991â€"2001.
The
blossom (
Prunus mume), along with the
peony, are considered traditional floral emblems of
China. In
June 21,
1964, the
Executive Yuan of the
Republic of China officially designated the
mei blossom to be its
national flower, with the triple grouping of
stamens (one long and two short) representing the
Three Principles of the People and the five petals symbolizing the
five branches of the ROC government [
1]. The designation, repeats a previous statement by the ROC government in
1929 [
2].
In
Taiwan the plum has been increasingly used as the national emblem of the Republic of China, just as the 12-ray sun originated from the
Kuomintang party flag.
The
mei blossom is also the floral symbol of the ancient Chinese city
Nanjing, which served as the former capital (and remained designated as the official capital) of the Republic of China.
Image:Plums on tree.jpg|Prunus domesticaImage:Red Plums on tree.jpg|Prunus domesticaImage:Bluebyrd plum.jpg|Bluebyrd plumImage:Plum2web.jpg|Plum (variety Tucker) - watercolor 1894Image:Plum1web.jpg|Plum (variety Pacific Prune) - watercolor 1893Image:Plum blossoming.jpgImage:Plum blossoms.jpgImage:PlumBlossom.JPG|Plum blossomsImage:Plum flowers.jpg|Plum FlowersImage:Shiny plum.jpgImage:Plum tree.jpgImage:Plums in basket.jpgImage:Plums in tree.jpgImage:Plums early morning.jpg*
Plum (color)*
Fruit trees*
Fruit tree forms*
Fruit tree propagation*
Pruning fruit trees*
Prunus americanum images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
