Prunus salicina Lindl.

Japanese plum (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Rosales > Rosaceae > Prunus

Characteristics

Trees 9–12 m tall; branchlets, petioles, pedicels, outside base of hypanthium glabrous or densely pubescent. Branches purplish brown to reddish brown; branchlets yellowish red. Winter buds purplish red, usually glabrous or rarely hairy at scale margins. Stipules linear, margin glandular, apex acuminate. Petiole 1–2 cm, apex with 2 nectaries; leaf blade oblong-obovate, narrowly elliptic, or rarely oblong-ovate, 6–8(–12) × 3–5 cm, adaxially dark green and lustrous, base cuneate, margin doubly crenate and often mixed with simple gland-tipped teeth when young, apex acute to shortly caudate; secondary veins 6 or 7 on either side of midvein, not extending to leaf margin. Flowers usually 3 in a fascicle, 1.5–2.2 cm in diam. Pedicel 1–1.5 cm. Sepals oblong-ovate, ca. 5 mm, outside glabrous, margin loosely serrate, apex acute to obtuse. Petals white, oblong-obovate, base cuneate, margin erose near apex. Ovary glabrous. Stigma disc-shaped. Drupe yellow or red, sometimes green or purple, globose, ovoid, or conical, 3.5–5 cm in diam., to 7 cm in diam. in horticultural forms, glaucous; endocarp ovoid to oblong, rugose. Fl. Apr, fr. Jul–Aug.
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A small tree. It grows 9 m high and spreads 8 m wide. It loses its leaves during the year. The new shoots are red. The leaves are green. There are blunt teeth along the edge. The flowers are in pairs or small clusters. They are white. The fruit is about 3-5 cm across. They are reddish. They are juicy when ripe.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 8.0
Mature height (meter) 9.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It grows in a subtropical climate. The chilling requirement is 300-1,000 hours below 7°C. Some low chill varieties are available. It suits hardiness zones 6-10. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
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Sparse forests, forest margins, scrub, along trails in mountains, beside streams in valleys, thickets; at elevations from 200-2,600 metres.
Light 5-8
Soil humidity 3-7
Soil texture 2-5
Soil acidity 3-7
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 6-8

Usage

The fruit are eaten raw. They can be dried, canned stewed and made into jams, jellies, puddings, cakes, and sauces. Some varieties are used in cooking. They are brewed into wine.
Uses breeding dye eating food gene source medicinal ornamental
Edible fruits seeds
Therapeutic use Appetite stimulants (fruit), Arthritis (fruit), Thirst (fruit), Arthritis (unspecified), Stomachic (unspecified), Thirst (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants are best grown by grafting. Tree are often not self fertile and need pollinator trees. Fruit continue to ripen after harvest. They can be grown from seed.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) 120 - 365
Germination temperacture (C°) 18 - 23
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -23
Optimum temperature (C°) 18 - 34
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Prunus salicina unspecified picture

Distribution

Prunus salicina world distribution map, present in Australia, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, China, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Taiwan, Province of China, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam

Conservation status

Prunus salicina threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:730232-1
WFO ID wfo-0001017607
COL ID 4N976
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Prunus ichangana Prunus botan Prunus trifolia Prunus triflora Prunus salicina Prunus salicina var. salicina Prunus botan Prunus salicina var. cordata

Lower taxons

Prunus salicina var. pubipes