Sheffield's Seed Company Page

Prunus mume, commonly known as Japanese apricot, Chinese plum or plum blossom, is a fast-growing, deciduous tree native to China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. It's highly prized for its mid to late winter display of fragrant, spicily pink flowers before the leaves emerge. The flowers are usually translated as plum blossom and are a beloved subject in traditional East Asian painting. The plant produces fuzzy-skinned apricots with clinging stones, edible but of poor quality, which ripen in summer and are used to make jams and preserves. In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cooking, the fruit is used in juices, as a flavouring for alcohol, as a pickle, and in sauces, as well as in traditional medicine. At 15-20 feet tall with a rounded form, Prunus mume is primarily grown for ornamental purposes and is perfect for gardens or as a large shrub. Its winter bloom is highly regarded as a seasonal symbol and is popular for cut blossoming branches used in flower arrangements.