Plum

Also known asPrunus domestica · 李子

Name: Plum, the general name for the edible drupes of various Prunus trees and shrubs. The two commercially important species are the European plum (Prunus domestica) and the Japanese plum (Prunus salicina); many well-known named varieties — including Damson and Greengage, covered on their own pages — are simply specific cultivars of the European plum rather than separate fruits.

Description

The European plum is believed to have originated in the region around the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea and has been cultivated for at least two thousand years. The Japanese plum, despite its name, was first domesticated in China and was later extensively developed in Japan before spreading commercially worldwide; because it keeps noticeably longer than most European varieties, it is now the type most commonly sold fresh.

Plums grow on trees or shrubs of widely varying size, with each flower bud typically opening into two or three blossoms in dense, showy clusters. The fruit is a drupe with a fleshy, juicy exterior surrounding a hard central stone, and varies enormously between varieties in size, colour, and sweetness. Some varieties are firm and sugary enough to be dried without fermenting, which is how prunes are made.

Main nutrition value

Per 100g, raw plum:

Plums are a solid source of vitamin C and vitamin K, with a good amount of potassium and fiber alongside their natural sugars.

How best to be consumed

Plums are best eaten fresh and fully ripe, when the flesh yields slightly to gentle pressure near the stem. They also cook down well into compotes, jams, and baked desserts, and firmer, high-sugar varieties can be dried into prunes for longer storage.

Overconsumption could cause…

Plums contain natural sorbitol and fiber that can cause a laxative effect or bloating if eaten in large quantities — a well-known effect, especially pronounced with dried plums (prunes). As with other stone fruits, the pit and its kernel contain cyanogenic compounds and should never be chewed or swallowed.

GroupsStone FruitsRose family (Rosaceae)Low fatLow sodiumFresh

Made intoDried Prunes

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U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central — Plums, raw (FDC ID 169949), 100g portion: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/169949/nutrients Encyclopaedia Britannica — Plum: https://www.britannica.com/plant/plum