Plum
Prunus sp
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
Slender trees which lose their leaves. The leaves are toothed around the edge and hairy underneath. Leaves in the bud are rolled. Flowers are white. The fruit is a one seeded round fleshy fruit.
There are about 200 Prunus species.
Where it is found
Suitable only for high altitude areas in the tropics. (Japanese plums need less cold weather than European plums to start off flower formation). The soil needs to be well drained. Trees need plenty of sunlight. Trees can stand frost except at flowering. In Papua New Guinea it is recorded between 1,600-2,600 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten raw or cooked.
A few trees are established and fruit in the highland areas of Papua New Guinea.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plums are often grown from seed. They can be budded or grafted. many kinds of plums have to be pollinated from other trees.