Plant: Chinese Plum (Prunus salicina) 中國李

Prunus salicina, better known as the Japanese or Chinese plum, is a small deciduous tree native to China and nearby regions, including Taiwan, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Though often called “Japanese,” it was actually domesticated in southwestern China and later introduced to Japan, Korea, the U.S., and Australia. The name salicina means “willow-like,” referring to its long, narrow leaves that resemble those of a willow tree.

In spring, the tree bursts into clusters of delicate white flowers, and by summer, it produces round, juicy plums with yellow to pink flesh and skins that can be red, yellow, green, or purple. Compared to the European plum, Prunus salicina tends to have a stronger aroma, brighter color, and more vibrant flavor. It’s enjoyed fresh, or turned into jams, jellies, wines, and candies across East Asia. In China and Taiwan, the fruit is often preserved or made into plum wine, while in Japan, it sometimes appears at summer festivals as anzuame—sweet pickled fruit coated in syrup.

Beyond its culinary appeal, the Japanese plum also has a place in traditional Chinese medicine, believed to support health and immunity. Modern research is still exploring its antioxidant properties, though no clear evidence yet links it directly to disease prevention. Like other stone fruits, its pits and leaves contain small amounts of amygdalin, a compound that can release cyanide, so they should never be eaten.

中國李又稱日本李，是原產於中國及其周邊地區（包括台灣、緬甸、寮國和越南）的小型落葉喬木。雖然常被稱為“日本李”，但實際上它是在中國西南部被人工培植的，後來被引入日本、韓國、美國和澳洲。其種名 "salicina” 意為「柳葉狀」，指的是它細長的葉子形似柳樹的葉子。

春天會盛開簇狀精緻的白色花朵；到了夏天，便會結出圓潤多汁的李子，果肉呈黃色至粉紅色，果皮則有紅色、黃色、綠色或紫色等多種顏色。與歐洲李子相比，中國李的香氣更濃鬱，色澤更鮮明，風味也更鮮明。在東亞各地，人們既可鮮食，也可將其製成果醬、果凍、葡萄酒和糖果。在中國大陸和台灣，人們常將中國李製成蜜餞或釀造梅酒；而在日本，它有時會出現在夏季祭典上，以甜醃李子（anzuame）的形式出現，這種甜醃李子裹著糖漿。

除了食用價值外，中國李在中醫中也佔有一席之地，被認為具有增強體質和免疫力的功效。現代研究仍在探索其抗氧化特性，但目前尚無明確證據顯示其與疾病預防直接相關。與其他核果類水果一樣，中國李的果核和葉子含有少量苦杏仁苷，這種化合物會釋放氰化物，因此切勿食用。

Photo Date: 2021.04.20 Location: LA Arboretum

Notes 筆記

  • Prunus salicina (synonym Prunus triflora) is commonly known as the Chinese plum or Japanese plum. It is related to Prunus mume, which is also sometimes called Chinese plum but is a different species. Other English names for Prunus salicina include willow-leaf cherry and Asian plum. In Portuguese, it is called ameixa or ameixa-japonesa, and in Swedish, japanskt plommon.
  • The Latin name Prunus comes from the Ancient Greek word proúnē, meaning “plum.” The specific name salicina comes from salix, the Latin word for willow, because the leaves of Prunus salicina are long, narrow, and pointed, resembling those of some willow species.
  • Prunus salicina is a small deciduous tree that grows about 9–12 metres (30–39 feet) tall. It is native to China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. The species was first domesticated in southwestern China, around the Yangtze River Basin, and wild populations still grow in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. It has also been introduced to Korea, Japan, the United States, and Australia.
  • The winter buds of Prunus salicina are purplish red. The flowers appear in early spring, around April, and are about 2 centimetres in diameter. Each flower has five white petals, usually in small clusters of three. The petals are oblong to obovate in shape, with a wedge-shaped base and slightly jagged edges near the tip. The ovary is hairless, and the stigma is disc-shaped.
  • The fruit is a drupe measuring 4–7 centimetres across, with yellow to pink flesh. The skin may be yellow, red, green, or purple and often has a thin, powdery coating. The trees fruit from July to August. When ripe, the fruit is eaten fresh. Compared with the European plum (Prunus domestica), Prunus salicina usually has stronger flavor and aroma, more vivid color, larger size, and good nutritional value.
  • The fruits are commonly made into jams, jellies, wines, and other beverages. In China, they are also preserved and flavored with sugar, salt, and liquorice. In Taiwan, plum liquors are sometimes made from a mix of Prunus salicina, Prunus mume, and oolong tea, producing a Japanese-style plum wine called wumeijiu. In Japan, although Prunus salicina is less common than Prunus mume, it is sometimes pickled and dyed in a similar way. During summer festivals in eastern Japan, pickled plums are often coated in mizuame syrup and sold as anzuame (“apricot candy”).
  • In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the fruits of Prunus salicina are believed to strengthen the immune system and help treat some diseases. Some studies have explored whether the fruit’s antioxidants might have cancer-protective effects, but as of 2023, there is no clear scientific proof that antioxidants directly prevent or treat cancer.
  • Like other stone fruits, the pits and leaves of Prunus salicina contain a compound called amygdalin, which can release hydrogen cyanide when broken down. Accidentally swallowing a few pits is unlikely to cause harm, but eating crushed or ground pits can be dangerous and should be avoided.
  • 中國李又稱日本李。它與梅（Prunus mume）同屬一科，梅有時也被稱為中國李，但卻是不同的物種。中國李的其他英文名稱包括柳葉櫻桃和亞洲李。在葡萄牙語中，它被稱為 ameixa 或 ameixa-japonesa，在瑞典語中，它被稱為 japanskt plommon。
  • 拉丁文名 Prunus 源自古希臘文 proúnē，意為「李子」。種加詞 salicina 源自拉丁語 salix，意為柳樹，因為 Prunus salicina 的葉子細長而尖，與某些柳樹的葉子相似。
  • 中國李是一種小型落葉喬木，株高約 9-12 公尺（30-39 英尺）。原產於中國、台灣、緬甸、寮國和越南。它最初在中國西南地區，即長江流域一帶被人工培植，至今在陝西和甘肅兩省仍有野生族群。此外，它還被引入韓國、日本、美國和澳洲。
  • 中國李的冬芽呈紫紅色。花朵在早春開放，大約在四月，直徑約 2 公分。每朵花有五片白色花瓣，通常三片一組。花瓣形狀為長橢圓形至倒卵形，基部為楔形，近先端邊緣略呈鋸齒狀。子房無毛，柱頭呈盤狀。
  • 這種果實為核果，直徑 4-7 公分，果肉呈黃色至粉紅色。果皮顏色有黃色、紅色、綠色或紫色，通常有一層薄薄的粉狀物。樹木在七月至八月結果。成熟後，果實可直接鮮食。與歐洲李（Prunus domestica）相比，中國李通常風味和香氣更濃鬱，顏色更鮮豔，個頭更大，營養價值也更高。
  • 中國李的果實通常被製成果醬、果凍、葡萄酒和其他飲品。在中國，人們也會用糖、鹽和甘草等香料醃製它。在台灣，人們有時會將中國李、梅子和烏龍茶混合釀造梅酒，製成一種名為「烏梅酒」的日式梅酒。在日本，雖然中國李不如梅子常見，但有時也會以類似的方式醃製和染色。在日本東部的夏季節慶期間，人們常常將醃李子裹上水鮎糖漿，作為杏子糖出售。
  • 在中醫理論中，中國李的果實被認為可以增強免疫系統，並有助於治療某些疾病。一些研究探討了中國李果實中的抗氧化劑是否具有抗癌作用，但截至 2023 年，尚無明確的科學證據顯示抗氧化劑可以直接預防或治療癌症。
  • 與其他核果類水果一樣，中國李的果核和葉子中含有苦杏仁苷，這種化合物分解後會釋放出氫氰酸。意外吞食少量果核不太可能造成傷害，但食用壓碎或磨碎的果核則可能很危險，應避免食用。

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