Prunus mume is a species of Asian plum in the family Rosaceae. It is called ume in Korean, and mai in Vietnamese. The tree originates from China, and was brought to Japan and Korea later. The tree is cultivated for its fruit and flowers. Although normally

Prunus mume is a species of Asian plum in the family Rosaceae. It is called ume (kanji: ÷; hiragana: ¤¦¤á) in Japanese, m¨¦i (÷) or m¨¦izi (÷×Ó) in Chinese,[1] maesil (hangul: 매실; hanja: ÷Œ) in Korean, and mai in Vietnamese. The tree originates from China, and was brought to Japan and Korea later. The tree is cultivated for its fruit and flowers. Although normally called a plum, it is actually more closely related to the apricot. Another species commonly referred to as the "Japanese plum" is the sumomo (Prunus salicina). The tree flowers in late winter, typically late January or February in East Asia, before the leaves appear. Each flower has five petals and is 1¨C3 cm in diameter. The flowers are typically white, though cultivars may have rose or deep red flowers. The leaves appear shortly after the petals fall. The leaves are oval, with a pointed tip. The fruit ripens in early summer, typically June in East Asia. The ripening of the fruit coincides with Jiangnan's rainy season, meiyu (÷Óê), called baiu or tsuyu in Japanese. Each fruit is round with a groove running from the stalk to the tip. The skin is green when unripe, and turns yellow, sometimes with a red blush, as it ripens. The flesh becomes yellow.