Armeniaca mume var. pubicaulina C. Z. Qiao & H. M. Shen
Armeniaca mume f. pendula (Siebold) H. Ohba & S. Akiyama
Prunopsis mume (Siebold) André
Prunus makinoensis Lév.
Prunus mume formosana Masam. ex Kudô & Masam.
Prunus mume microcarpa Makino
Prunus mume var. alboplena L. H. Bailey
Prunus mume var. laciniata Maxim.
Prunus mume var. pendula Siebold
Prunus mume var. rosea Ingram
Prunus mume var. tonsa Rehder
Prunus mume f. alba (Carrière) Rehder
Prunus mume f. alboplena (L. H. Bailey) Rehder
Prunus mume f. alphandii (Carrière) Rehder
Prunus mume is a Chinese tree species classified in the Armeniaca section of the genusPrunus subgenus Prunus. Its common names include Chinese plum,[2][3][4]Japanese plum,[5] and Japanese apricot. The flower, long a beloved subject in the traditional painting and poetry of Sinospheric countries (including China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan), is usually called plum blossom.[6] This distinct tree species is related to both the plum and apricot trees.[7] Although generally referred to as a plum in English, it is more closely related to the apricot.[8]
In East Asian cuisine (Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese cuisine), the fruit of the tree is used in juices, as a flavouring for alcohol, as a pickle, and in sauces. It is also used in traditional medicine.
The tree's flowering in late winter and early spring is highly regarded as a seasonal symbol.
Prunus mume should not be confused with Prunus salicina, a related species also grown in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Another tree, Prunus japonica, is also a separate species despite having a Latin name similar to Prunus mume's common name.
^Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). Prunus mume. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T136775345A136775347. Downloaded on 24 March 2019.
^Tan, Hugh T.W.; Giam, Xingli (2008). Plant magic: auspicious and inauspicious plants from around the world. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions. p. 142. ISBN9789812614278.
^Fan, Chengda (2010). Treatises of the Supervisor and Guardian of the Cinnamon Sea (Translated ed.). Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. LV. ISBN9780295990798.