Prunus mume

Ume (Prunus mume; from Jap. 梅, kana うめ), also Japanese apricot, Japanese plum or winter cherry, is a species of plant in the genus Prunus in the rose family (Rosaceae). Like the apricot and the Siberian apricot, it belongs to the section Armeniaca in the subgenus Prunus. Another species often referred to as the "Japanese plum" is the Sumomo (Prunus salicina).

The Asian Ume tree originates from China, from the region of Sichuan, Shaanxi, West Hubei, there called méi (Chinese 梅, Pinyin méi, Jyutping mui4 - "Ume") or méishù (梅樹 / 梅树, méishù, Jyutping mui4syu6 - "Ume tree"). However, via cultural exchange with China, the ume tree also grew in Japan and in Korea (called maesil there) in ancient times. It is cultivated for its fruits and flowers.

There are more than 300 cultivars of ume in Japan. They are divided into three types:

Etymology

The scientific name (Prunus mume) preserves another old Japanese pronunciation, possibly the original mme (んめ), which was historically written as "mume" (むめ), as there was no special kana for the single nasal sound used at that time. All three names (chin. méi, jap. ume and kor. maesil) derive from the country-specific pronunciation of the same character 梅.

Features

The Ume is a deciduous tree with a round crown that reaches growth heights of 1 to 15 metres, or a tall shrub. The thin bark is grey-green.

The simple, alternate, fresh green, paler underneath, slightly leathery leaves are 4 to 10 centimetres long, ovate to elliptical and with serrated margins. When young they are hairy on both sides, later glabrous on top, hairy on the underside only on the veins and often have a pointed, crooked tip.

The flowers are solitary or in pairs, single or double. They are white to dark pink in colour, almost stalkless, appear before the leaves and have a strong fragrance, especially in the evening. The flower cup is broadly cup-shaped, it is a winter bloomer and the flowers appear before the leaves.

The small drupe has a diameter of 2 to 3 centimeters and is yellow or green, somewhat hairy, spherical and sour to bitter. The stone core is pitted and adheres well to the flesh. Individual specimens can live for over a thousand years.

The chromosome number is 2n = 16, rarely 32.