Prunus mume

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Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Redirect Template:Redirect Template:Use American English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Cs1 config Template:Speciesbox Prunus mume, also known as Chinese plum,<ref name=IUCN/><ref name=EOL>Template:Cite EOL Archived from the original on 27 November 2024.</ref> is a tree species in the family Rosaceae.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It is also referenced by its flowers as plum blossom.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Although referred to as a plum in English, it is classified in the Armeniaca section of the genus Prunus, making it an apricot. Mei flowers, or meihua (Template:Lang), which bloom in the late winter and early spring, notably during the spring festival (春節), symbolize endurance, as they are the first to bloom despite the cold; the flower is one of the Three Friends of Winter.

The plant is intimately associated with art, literature, and everyday life in China,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> from where it was then introduced to Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. In East Asian cuisine (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisine), the fruit, known as meizi (梅子) in Chinese, is used in juices and sauces; as a flavoring for alcohol; and may be pickled or dried. It is also used in traditional Chinese medicine. Meihua are also appreciated for their characteristic fragrance, which is unique among apricots.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Prunus mume should not be confused with the plum Prunus salicina, a related species also grown in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, nor with the common apricot Prunus armeniaca, which is closely related under the same section.

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Origin

Prunus mume originated in the region around the Yangtze River in southern China and was cultivated domestically for both its ornamental beauty and its fruit.<ref name=uem>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It was later introduced to Japan,<ref name=fang>Template:Cite journal</ref> Korea, and Vietnam. It can be found in sparse forests, stream sides, forested slopes along trails, and mountains, sometimes at altitudes up to Template:Cvt, and regions of cultivation.<ref name=eflora/>

Description

Prunus mume is a deciduous tree that starts to flower in mid-winter, typically around January until late February in East Asia. It can grow to Template:Cvt tall.<ref name=eflora/> The flowers are Template:Cvt in diameter and have a strong fragrant scent.<ref name=eflora>Template:Cite web</ref> They have colors in varying shades of white, pink, and red.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The leaves appear shortly after the petals fall, are oval-shaped with a pointed tip, and are 4–8 cm long and 2.5–5 cm wide.<ref name=eflora/> The fruit ripens in early summer, around June and July in East Asia, and coincides with the East Asian rainy season, the meiyu (梅雨, "plum rain").<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The drupe is Template:Cvt in diameter with a groove running from the stalk to the tip.<ref name=eflora/> The skin turns yellow, sometimes with a red blush, as it ripens, and the flesh becomes yellow. The tree is cultivated for its fruit and flowers.<ref name="RBGKew">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • Unripe fruit
    Unripe fruit
  • Washed and stemmed fruit
    Washed and stemmed fruit
  • Ripe fruit
    Ripe fruit
  • Plum blossoms
    Plum blossoms
  • Plum blossoms
    Plum blossoms
  • "Peggy Clarke" plum blossoms
    "Peggy Clarke" plum blossoms
  • Trunk cross section
    Trunk cross section
  • Weeping tree cultivar
    Weeping tree cultivar
  • A grove of trees
    A grove of trees

Names

Native to southern China, where it is known as mei (梅).<ref name="eflora" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The scientific name combines the Latin prūnus ("(European) plum tree") and the obsolete Japanese pronunciation of 梅 (mume), which is ultimately likely derived from Middle Chinese. The plant is known by a number of different names in English, including flowering plum or plum blossoms. Another misnomer, Japanese apricot, likely derives from the plant's introduction into Western knowledge by Philipp Franz von Siebold, who encountered it while living in Japan.

The flower is known as the meihua (Template:Lang) in Chinese, which came to be translated as "plum blossom"<ref name="kilpatrick-jane">Template:Cite book</ref> or sometimes as "flowering plum".<ref name="welch"/> The term "winter plum" may be used too, specifically with regard to the depiction of the flower with its early blooming in Chinese painting.Template:Cn The character 梅 is a phono-semantic compound created by combining the semantic component Template:Linktext ("tree") with the phonetic component Template:Linktext (literally meaning "every," pronounced Template:IPA in Old Chinese, which was similar to Template:IPA for "plum").

In Chinese, it is called mei (梅) and the fruit is called meizi (梅子). The Japanese name is ume (うめ), while the Korean name is maesil (Template:Korean). The Japanese and Korean terms derive from Middle Chinese, in which the pronunciation is thought to have been muəi.<ref>Yamaguchi, Y., ed.: "Kurashi no kotoba: Gogen Jiten", page 103. Kodansha, 1998</ref> The Vietnamese name is mai or mơ (although mai vàng refers to a different plant, Ochna integerrima, in southern Vietnam).Template:Cn

Varieties

Ornamental tree varieties and cultivars of P. mume have been cultivated for planting in various gardens throughout East Asia, and for cut blossoming branches used in flower arrangements.Template:Cn

Chinese varieties

Phylogenetic tree and ten representative traits

In China, there are over 300 recorded cultivars of Prunus mume.<ref name=cas>Template:Cite web</ref> These are classified by their phylogenetics (P. mume and hybrids) into branches, characteristics of their branches in groups, and characteristics of their flowers in forms:<ref name=cas/>

It is disputed whether Prunus zhengheensis (Template:Zh) is a separate species<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> or conspecific with Prunus mume.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It is found in the Fujian province of China. It is only known from one county, Zhenghe. It is a tree that prefers to grow at Template:Cvt above sea level. The yellow fruit is delectable and aside from its height, it is indistinguishable from P. mume.

Japanese varieties

In Japan, ornamental Prunus mume cultivars are classified into yabai (wild), hibai (red), and bungo (Bungo Province) types. The bungo trees are also grown for fruit and are hybrids between Prunus mume and apricot. The hibai trees have red heartwood and most of them have red flowers. The yabai trees are also used as grafting stock. Among yabai trees, Nankoume is a very popular variety in Japan,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and whose fruits are mainly used for making umeboshi.

Uses

Culinary use

Beverage

Template:Multiple image In China, suanmeitang (Template:Lang; "sour plum juice") is made from smoked plums, called wumei (Template:Lang).<ref name=leung>Template:Cite book</ref> The plum juice is extracted by boiling smoked plums in water and sweetened with sugar to make suanmeitang.<ref name=leung/> It ranges from light pinkish-orange to purplish black in colour and often has a smoky and slightly salty taste. It is traditionally flavoured with sweet osmanthus flowers, and is enjoyed chilled, usually in summer.Template:Cn

In Korea, both the flowers and the fruits are used to make tea. Maehwa-cha (Template:Lang; "plum blossom tea") is made by infusing the flowers in hot water. Maesil-cha (Template:Lang; "plum tea") is made by mixing water with maesil-cheong (plum syrup) and is served either hot or cold.Template:Cn

In Japan, a similar drink is made from green plums and tastes sweet and tangy, is considered a cold, refreshing drink, and is often enjoyed in the summer.Template:Cn

Condiment

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A thick, sweet Chinese sauce called meijiang (Template:Lang) or meizijiang (Template:Lang), usually translated as "plum sauce", is also made from the plums,<ref name="kilpatrick-jane"/> along with other ingredients such as sugar, vinegar, salt, ginger, chili, and garlic. Similar to duck sauce, it is used as a condiment for various Chinese dishes, including poultry dishes and egg rolls.Template:Cn

In Korea, maesil-cheong (Template:Lang, "plum syrup"), a syrup made by sugaring ripe plums, is used as a condiment and sugar substitute. It can be made by simply mixing plums and sugar together, and then leaving them for about 100 days.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> To make syrup, the ratio of sugar to plum should be at least 1:1 to prevent fermentation, by which the liquid may turn into plum wine.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The plums can be removed after 100 days, and the syrup can be consumed right away, or mature for a year or more.<ref name=":0" />

Flower pancake

Maehwa-jeon

In Korea, hwajeon (Template:Lang; "flower pancake") can be made with plum blossoms. Called maehwa-jeon (Template:Lang; "plum blossom pancake"), the pancake dish is usually sweet, with honey as an ingredient.Template:Cn

Liquor

Template:Multiple image Plum liquor, also known as plum wine, is popular in both Japan and Korea, and is also produced in China. Umeshu (Template:Lang; "plum wine") is a Japanese alcoholic drink made by steeping green plums in shōchū (clear liquor). It is sweet and smooth. A similar liquor in Korea, called maesil-ju (Template:Lang; "plum wine"), is marketed under various brand names, including Mae hwa soo, Matchsoon, and Seoljungmae. Both the Japanese and Korean varieties of plum liquor are available with whole plum fruits contained in the bottle. In China, plum wine is called méijiǔ (Template:Lang).Template:Cn

In Taiwan, a popular 1950s innovation over the Japanese-style plum wine is the wumeijiu (Template:Lang; "smoked plum liquor"), which is made by mixing two types of plum liquor, meijiu (Template:Lang) made of P. mume and lijiu (Template:Lang), made of P. salicina, and oolong tea liquor.<ref>Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation - Department of Liquor 烏梅酒 Template:Webarchive</ref>

In Vietnam, ripe plums are macerated in sticky rice liquor. The resulting liquor is called Template:Lang.

Pickled and preserved plums

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In Chinese cuisine, plums pickled with vinegar and salt are called suanmeizi (Template:Lang; "sour plum fruits"), and have an intensely sour and salty flavour. They are generally made from unripe plum fruits. Huamei (Template:Lang) are Chinese preserved plums and refer to Chinese plums pickled in sugar, salt, and herbs. There are two general varieties: a dried variety, and a wet (pickled) variety.Template:Cn

Umeboshi (Template:Lang) are pickled and dried plums. They are a Japanese specialty. Pickled with coarse salt, they are quite salty and sour, and therefore eaten sparingly. They are often red in colour when purple shiso leaves are used. Plums used for making umeboshi are harvested in late May or early June, while they are ripe enough in yellow, and layered with much salt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They are weighed down with a heavy stone (or some more modern implement) until late August. They are then dried in the sun on bamboo mats for several days (they are returned to the salt at night). The flavonoid pigment in shiso leaves gives them their distinctive colour and a richer flavour. Umeboshi are generally eaten with rice as part of a bento (boxed lunch), although they may also be used in makizushi (rolled sushi). Umeboshi are also used as a popular filling for rice balls (onigiri) wrapped in nori. Makizushi made with plums may be made with either umeboshi or bainiku (umeboshi paste), often in conjunction with green shiso leaves. A byproduct of umeboshi production is umeboshi vinegar, a salty, sour condiment.Template:Cn

In Korea, there is 'maesil-jangajji' which is similar to 'umeboshi'. It is a common side dish in Korea.Template:Cn

A very similar variety of pickled plum, Template:Lang or Template:Lang is used in Vietnamese cuisine. The best fruit for this are from the forest around the Hương Pagoda in Hà Tây Province.

Traditional medicine

Prunus mume is a common fruit in Asia and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Cultural significance

Plum blossoms have been well-loved and celebrated across the East Asian cultural sphere, beginning in China and later introduced to Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.

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East Asia

Chinese

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Manual of Plum Blossom Painting, by Song Dynasty painter Song Boren

The plum blossom, which is known as the meihua (Template:Lang), is one of the most beloved flowers in China and has been frequently depicted in Chinese art and poetry for centuries.<ref name="welch"/> The plum blossom is seen as a symbol of winter and a harbinger of spring.<ref name="welch"/> The blossoms are so beloved because they are viewed as blooming most vibrantly amidst the winter snow, exuding an ethereal elegance,<ref name="welch"/><ref name=npm-intro>Template:Cite web</ref> while their fragrance is noticed to still subtly pervade the air at even the coldest times of the year.<ref name=npm-intro/><ref name=caizq/> Therefore, the plum blossom came to symbolize perseverance and hope, as well as beauty, purity, and the transitoriness of life.<ref name="welch"/> In Confucianism, the plum blossom stands for the principles and values of virtue.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> More recently, it has also been used as a metaphor to symbolize revolutionary struggle since the turn of the 20th century.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Because it blossoms in the cold winter, the plum blossom is regarded as one of the "Three Friends of Winter", along with pine, and bamboo.<ref name="kilpatrick-jane"/><ref name="heinrich-sally"/> The plum blossom is also regarded as one of the "Four Gentlemen" of flowers in Chinese art, together with the orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo.<ref name="heinrich-sally">Template:Cite book</ref> It is one of the "Flowers of the Four Seasons", which consist of the orchid (spring), the lotus (summer), the chrysanthemum (autumn) and the plum blossom (winter).<ref name="heinrich-sally"/> These groupings are seen repeatedly in the Chinese aesthetic of art, painting, literature, and garden design.<ref name=forsyth>Template:Cite book</ref>

An example of the plum blossom's literary significance is found in the life and work of poet Lin Bu (Template:Lang) of the Song dynasty (960–1279). For much of his later life, Lin Bu lived in quiet reclusion on a cottage by West Lake in Hangzhou, China.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> According to stories, he loved plum blossoms and cranes so much that he considered the plum blossom of Solitary Hill at West Lake as his wife and the cranes of the lake as his children, thus he could live peacefully in solitude.<ref>China Travel Guide. "Gu Shan (Solitary Hill)". Retrieved 9 August 2011.</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> One of his most famous poems is "Little Plum Blossom of Hill Garden" (Template:Lang). The Chinese text, as well as a translation, follows:<ref>Red Pine. Poems of the Masters. Port Townsend, Copper Canyon Press, 2003, p. 453.</ref> Template:Verse translation

As with the literary culture amongst the educated of the time, Lin Bu's poems were discussed in several Song dynasty era commentaries on poetry. Wang Junqing remarked after quoting the third and fourth line: "This is from Lin Hejing's [Lin Bu's] plum blossom poem. Yet these lines might just as well be applied to the flowering apricot, peach, or pear."—a comparison of the flowers with the plum blossom to which the renowned Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo (Template:Lang) replied, "Well, yes, they might. But I'm afraid the flowers of those other trees wouldn't presume to accept such praise."<ref name=caizq>Template:Cite book</ref> Plum blossoms inspired many people of the era.<ref name=dudbridge>Template:Cite book</ref>

Princess Shouyang, who is prominently featured in a Chinese legend about plum blossoms

Legend has it that once on the 7th day of the 1st lunar month, while Princess Shouyang (Template:Lang), daughter of Emperor Wu of Liu Song (Template:Lang), was resting under the eaves of Hanzhang Palace near the plum trees after wandering in the gardens, a plum blossom drifted down onto her fair face, leaving a floral imprint on her forehead that enhanced her beauty further.<ref name=cai>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=bettyw>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=w&e>Template:Cite journal</ref> The court ladies were said to be so impressed that they started decorating their own foreheads with a small delicate plum blossom design.<ref name=cai/><ref name=bettyw/><ref name=chinat/> This is also the mythical origin of the floral fashion, meihua chuang<ref name=bettyw/> (梅花妝; literally "plum blossom makeup"), that originated in the Southern Dynasties (420–589) and became popular amongst ladies in the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties.<ref name=chinat>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=huamei>Template:Cite book</ref> The markings of plum blossom designs on the foreheads of court ladies were usually made with paintlike materials such as sorghum powder, gold powder, paper, jade, and other tint substances. Princess Shouyang is celebrated as the goddess of the plum blossom in Chinese culture.<ref name=bettyw/><ref name=w&e/>

During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the garden designer Ji Cheng wrote his definitive garden architecture monograph Yuanye and in it, he described the plum tree as the "beautiful woman of the forest and moon".<ref name=dudbridge/> The appreciation of nature at night plays an important role in Chinese gardens. For this reason, there are classical pavilions for the tradition of viewing plum blossoms by the moonlight.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The flowers are viewed and enjoyed by many as annual plum blossom festivals take place in the blooming seasons of the meihua. The festivals take place throughout China (for example, West Lake in Hangzhou and scenic spots near Zijin Mountain in Nanjing, amongst other places).<ref>Int'l Plum Blossom Festival draws crowds in Nanjing. Retrieved 9 August 2011.</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Plum blossoms are often used as decoration during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and remain popular in the miniature gardening plants of the art of penjing.<ref name="welch">Template:Cite book</ref> Branches of plum blossoms are often arranged in porcelain or ceramic vases, such as the meiping (literally "plum vase").<ref name="welch17">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> These vases can hold single branches of plum blossoms and have been traditionally used to display the blossoms in a home since the early Song dynasty (960–1279).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Moy Yat lineage of Wing Chun kung fu uses a red plum flower blossom as its symbol. The plum blossoms are featured on one of the four flowers that appear on mahjong tile sets, where mei (Template:Lang) is usually simply translated as "plum" in English.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

It has been suggested that the Japanese practice of hanami may have originated from the Chinese custom of enjoying poetry and wine underneath plum blossom trees while viewing their flowers, that was replicated by Japanese elites. This is supported by the fact that hanami started in urban areas rather than rural areas, that Japanese people initially admired plum blossoms like the Chinese rather than cherry blossoms, and that classic Japanese poetry does not associate cherry blossoms with merriness.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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Plum blossoms painted on China Airlines aircraft tails.

The National Flower of the Republic of China (Taiwan) was officially designated as the plum blossom (Prunus Mei; Template:Zh) by the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China on July 21, 1964.<ref name="roc">Government Information Office, Republic of China - National Flower Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 9 August 2011.</ref> The plum blossom is the symbol for resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity during the harsh winter.<ref name=npm-roc>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="tw"/> The triple grouping of stamens (three stamens per petal) on the national emblem represents Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People, while the five petals symbolize the five branches of the government.<ref name="roc"/><ref name="tw">National Flag, Anthem and Flower. Retrieved 9 August 2011.</ref> It also serves as the logo of China Airlines, the national carrier of Taiwan (the Republic of China).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The flower is featured on some New Taiwan dollar coins.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Korean

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In Korea, the plum blossom is a symbol for spring.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is a popular flower motif, amongst other flowers, for Korean embroidery.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Maebyong are plum vases derived from the Chinese meiping and are traditionally used to hold branches of plum blossoms in Korea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Korean ceramist Master Kim Se-yong incorporates the blossom into many of his openwork celadon vases.

Also, during Korean Empire period, the plum blossom became the imperial seal and royal official flower. Since ancient times, plum blossom has been filled with meaning and mystery. Plum blossoms bloom at the end of the winter, and because of this, they are called the herald of spring. They also symbolize perseverance because of how they can possibly bloom during the cold winter. Since they are considered the first flower of the year, they also represent purity and renewal. Plum flowers have five petals which are believed to carry 5 different blessings such as: wealth, health, virtue, peaceful and natural death.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Japanese

Plum blossoms are often mentioned in Japanese poetry as a symbol of spring, as well as elegance and purity. When used in haiku or renga, they are a kigo or season word for early spring. The blossoms are associated with the Japanese bush warbler and are depicted together on one of the twelve suits of hanafuda (Japanese playing cards).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Plum blossoms were favored during the Nara period (710–794) until the emergence of the Heian period (794–1185), in which the cherry blossom was preferred.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Japanese tradition holds that the ume functions as a protective charm against evil, so the ume is traditionally planted in the northeast of the garden, the direction from which evil is believed to come. The eating of the pickled fruit for breakfast is also supposed to stave off misfortune.<ref name=lp>Rowthorn, Chris and Florence, Mason. Lonely Planet: Kyoto. 2001, page 21.</ref>

The tradition of hanami was originally performed with plum blossoms rather than cherry blossoms as is common today. The specific custom of viewing plum blossoms in Japan is now called umemi (梅見, plum-viewing).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Southeast Asia

Vietnamese

In Vietnam, due to the beauty of the tree and its flowers, the word mai is used to name girls. The largest hospital in Hanoi is named Bạch Mai (white plum blossom),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> another hospital in Hanoi is named Mai Hương ("the scent of plum"), situated in Hồng Mai (pink plum blossom) street.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hoàng Mai (yellow plum blossom) is the name of a district in Hanoi. Bạch Mai is also a long and old street in Hanoi. All these places are located in the south part of Hanoi, where, in the past, many P. mume trees were grown.Template:Cn

See also

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References

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