What is a Plum Blossom?
A plum blossom, as you might imagine, is the blossom of a plum tree. When the term “plum blossom” is used, however, most people use it to refer to a specific variety of plum native to Asia and known as the ume plum. Ume flowers have special significance in Asian culture, especially in China and Japan, where they are prized for their beauty and delicacy. Numerous works of Asian art depict plum blossoms, ranging from silk paintings to poems. The ume plum or Prunus ume is actually more like an apricot than a plum, producing orange fruit with a deep groove. Ume fruits are used extensively in Asian cuisine, in both fresh and pickled form. When pickled, the fruits are known as umeboshi. Plums are also pressed to make wines and vinegars. Many traditional Chinese and Japanese gardens feature at least one ume tree, often with a carefully chosen location for good luck. The plum blossom is a distinctive and unique flower because it blooms in the dead of winter, while there is still snow on the br
A plum blossom, as you might imagine, is the blossom of a plum tree. When the term “plum blossom†is used, however, most people use it to refer to a specific variety of plum native to Asia and known as the ume plum. Ume flowers have special significance in Asian culture, especially in China and Japan, where they are prized for their beauty and delicacy. Numerous works of Asian art depict plum blossoms, ranging from silk paintings to poems. The ume plum or Prunus ume is actually more like an apricot than a plum, producing orange fruit with a deep groove. Ume fruits are used extensively in Asian cuisine, in both fresh and pickled form. When pickled, the fruits are known as umeboshi. Plums are also pressed to make wines and vinegars. Many traditional Chinese and Japanese gardens feature at least one ume tree, often with a carefully chosen location for good luck. The plum blossom is a distinctive and unique flower because it blooms in the dead of winter, while there is still snow on the