Plum jam

In West Asia, myrobalan plum or cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) is also widely cultivated. In Russia, apart from these three commonly cultivated species, there are also many cultivars resulting from hybridization between Japanese plum and myrobalan plum, known as Russian plum (Prunus × rossica).[17]

When it flowers in the early spring, a plum tree will be covered in blossoms, and in a good year approximately 50% of the flowers will be pollinated and become plums. Flowering starts after 80 growing degree days.[citation needed]

The name plum derived from Old English plume "plum, plum tree", borrowed from Germanic or Middle Dutch, derived from Latin prūnum[9] and ultimately from Ancient Greek προῦμνον proumnon,[10] itself believed to be a loanword from an unknown language of Asia Minor.[2][11] In the late 18th century, the word plum was used to indicate "something desirable", probably in reference to tasty fruit pieces in desserts.[11]

China is the largest producer of plums, followed by Romania and Serbia. Japanese or Chinese plums dominate the fresh fruit market, while European plums are also common in some regions. Plums can be eaten fresh, used in jams, or fermented into wine or brandy. Plum kernels contain cyanogenic glycosides, but the oil made from them is not commercially available.

In terms of nutrition, raw plums are 87% water, 11% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and less than 1% fat. They are a moderate source of vitamin C but do not contain significant amounts of other micronutrients.