Plum

A plum is a tasty fruit.

It grows on a tree. The fruit has a hard pit inside. This pit holds a tiny seed.

You can eat plums fresh. They are juicy and sweet. You can also dry them.

Dried plums are called prunes. People use plums for jam too. Some plums are even used for wine.

Many plums grow in China. They are very common. Do you like plums?

A plum is a tasty fruit.

It grows on medium-sized trees. These trees can have pretty flowers in the spring.

The fruit is a drupe. This means it has juicy flesh around a hard stone. That stone holds a seed inside.

You can eat plums fresh. They can be sweet or tart. People also dry them to make prunes. You can use plums to make jam or even wine.

Plums have a very long history. Humans likely grew them a long time ago. Some plum types came from China. Others came from Europe. In 2023, China made 55% of the world's plums. Many different kinds of plums grow in different places. Some are large and juicy. Others are small and dark. Even the seeds have a special part. They contain amygdalin. This is a natural poison. You should not eat the seeds.

The skin of a plum is smooth and waxy. This helps protect the fruit.

A plum is a delicious fruit that comes in many different forms.

It is known as a drupe, which is a type of fruit. This means the juicy flesh grows around a single hard stone. Inside that stone, you will find a small seed.

The skin of the fruit is smooth and has a waxy surface. This wax helps the fruit stay protected. Plums can taste very sweet or quite tart. You can eat them fresh or use them in many recipes.

There are many ways to enjoy these fruits. You can eat them right off the tree. Some people dry the fruit to make prunes.

You can also cook them into jams or sweet preserves. In some places, people ferment the juice to make wine. Some even turn the juice into a drink like brandy. In parts of Asia, plums are pickled to make a snack. These pickled plums are often used in rice balls called onigiri.

Plums have been part of human life for a very long time. They were likely one of the first fruits that people grew.

Archaeologists found plum remains at sites from the Neolithic age. Some plums came from the Caucasus Mountains or China. Others came from Eastern Europe. Plums were brought to Britain from Asia a long time ago. In the 12th century, a writer named Ibn al-'Awwam wrote about growing them in Spain. Later, a writer named Chaucer mentioned them in his work.

Many different kinds of plums grow all over the world. In 2023, the world produced 12.5 million tonnes of plums. China produced 55% of that total amount.

Romania and Chile are also very large producers. There are many special types like the yellow Mirabelle plum. Another type is the green Greengage plum. Some plums, like the Damson, have dark skin and green flesh. In Russia, people grow many new types by mixing different plum species together.

Growing plums requires the right kind of weather. In the spring, the trees are covered in beautiful blossoms.

If the weather is too dry, the tiny green fruits might fall off the tree. If it is too wet, a fungus called brown rot can grow on them. Most plum trees are medium-sized, but they can grow very tall if not pruned. People often prune them to keep them at a good height. You can think of a plum tree like a garden plant that needs a little help to stay neat.

A plum is a fruit belonging to the species in the genus Prunus.

These fruits are biologically classified as drupes. A drupe is a fleshy fruit that surrounds a single hard stone. This stone protects the seed located at the center. Plums are incredibly diverse and come in many different varieties. They serve many purposes in human diets around the world. People eat them fresh, dry them into prunes, or use them in jams. They can also be fermented into wine or distilled into brandy.

The growth of a plum involves several biological stages. It begins when the tree blossoms in the spring. The timing of these blossoms depends on the location. In Taiwan, trees may blossom in January. In the United Kingdom, they blossom in early April. Flowering starts after the tree experiences 80 growing degree days. Once the flowers appear, pollination must occur. In a good year, about 50% of the flowers are successfully pollinated. This results in the development of the fruit.

The fruit grows to a medium size, usually between 2 and 6 centimeters in diameter. The skin is smooth and has a natural waxy surface. This wax adheres to the flesh and helps protect the fruit. The flesh can be firm and juicy. The taste ranges from very sweet to quite tart.

Environmental factors greatly affect how plums develop. Weather plays a critical role in a successful harvest. If the weather becomes too dry, the plums may fail to develop. They might fall from the tree while they are still tiny, green buds. Conversely, unseasonably wet weather can cause problems. One such problem is a fungal condition called brown rot. This rot can affect the fruit if it is too wet. While the rot is not toxic, it can make the fruit inedible if not caught immediately. You can sometimes cut out affected areas, but the rot spreads quickly.

There are two main types of plums with global commercial importance. The first is the Japanese plum, known scientifically as Prunus salicina. These are often hybrids of P. salicina, P. simonii, and P. cerasifera. Japanese plums are typically large and juicy. They have a long shelf life, which makes them dominant in the fresh fruit market. The second type is the European plum, or Prunus domestica. This species includes many famous varieties. The Damson plum has purple or black skin and green flesh. The Greengage has firm green skin and flesh. The Mirabelle plum is dark yellow and grows in northeast France.

The Victoria plum was first sold in 1844. The Prune plum is oval and sweet, making it ideal for drying.

Plums have a very long history of human cultivation. They were likely one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Archaeological evidence shows plum remains at Neolithic age sites. These sites also contain olives, grapes, and figs. Scientists believe plums may have originated in Iran. Other theories suggest origins in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus Mountains, or China. In the 12th century, Ibn al-'Awwam wrote about plum cultivation in Andalusia, Spain. In England, cultivation was recorded in medieval monasteries. The writer Chaucer even mentioned 'ploumes' in his work. During the 17th and 18th centuries, plum cultivation increased significantly.

Global production of plums is massive. In 2023, the world produced 12.5 million tonnes of plums. This total includes sloes. China is the leading producer, accounting for 55% of the world total. Romania and Chile are also among the largest producers. In Romania, 80% of plum production is used to make a brandy called țuică. In the Balkans, plums are used for a drink called slivovitz. In Hungary, many Damson plums are grown for food and brandy. Even the wood of the tree is used by hobbyists. They use it for musical instruments and knife handles.

It is important to note the chemical makeup of the fruit. The seeds, also called kernels, contain a substance called amygdalin. This is a cyanogenic glycoside. Amygdalin is a cyanide-like poison. Because of this, the seeds are not eaten like the flesh. However, the fleshy inner part of the pit can be used to make prune kernel oil. Nutritionally, raw plums are mostly water. They are 87% water and 11% carbohydrates. They also contain 1% protein and less than 1% fat. They are a moderate source of vitamin C.