Japanese Ume Tree

The scientific name combines the latin prūnus plum tree and the obsolete japanese 梅 mume plum.

Japanese ume tree. Japanese plum trees reach a height of 10 to 15 feet with a wider spread on maturity. Originally introduced from china the japanese plum 梅 ume. Japanese gardens and parks are colored with plum trees rose hued blossoms and sometimes white or yellow flowers depending on the species and a strong characteristic perfume is wafting into the air. An alternative name is ume or mume.

I harvest the ume with tadaaki s youngest aunt katchan. In mature trees blooms nearly conceal the branches in thousands the bark is deep green or reddish brown. Another alternative name is mei. The plum is associated with the start of spring because plum blossoms are some of the first blossoms to open during the year.

Its popularity was eventually surpassed by that of the cherry tree. The flower is known as the meihua 梅花 in chinese which came to be translated as plum. Sometimes referred to as japanese apricot has played an important role in japanese culture for many centuries. Plum trees or ume 梅 in japanese come out in full blossom at the end of winter as the herald of the coming spring.

Flowers appear in the first year and the fruits in the following spring. The japanese plum tree also known as ume prunus mume is in fact an apricot and originates not from japan but rather the mountains of southwestern china regardless this is another iconic tree of japan famous not only for its early flowering often while the snow still falls but also for its extremely sour fruits which are used liberally in japanese cuisine from pickles to sauces. The plant is known by a number of different names in english including chinese plum and japanese apricot.