The Chinese plum is actually an apricot that blooms in the dead of winter.

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Often misidentified as a plum, the Prunus mume is a resilient tree that defies the cold to bloom in late winter. Celebrated as a symbol of endurance and hope, this fragrant blossom has shaped East Asian art, literature, and culinary traditions for centuries, from ancient poetry to modern-day delicacies.

Prunus mume, known as the Chinese plum or Japanese apricot, is a deciduous tree belonging to the Armeniaca section of the genus Prunus. Despite its common name, it is more closely related to the apricot than the plum. Native to the Yangtze River region in southern China, the tree can reach heights of 4 to 10 meters and thrives at altitudes up to 3,100 meters. Its flowers, which appear between January and February, are prized for their intense fragrance and colors ranging from white to red.

In Chinese culture, the plum blossom is revered as one of the Three Friends of Winter, symbolizing perseverance because it blooms amidst snow. This cultural significance extends to the Song dynasty, where poet Lin Bu famously lived in reclusion, treating the blossoms as his family. The flower also inspired the meihua chuang makeup trend, which legend attributes to Princess Shouyang of the Liu Song dynasty, who supposedly wore a floral imprint on her forehead after a blossom fell onto her face.

Beyond its aesthetic value, the tree is a staple of East Asian cuisine and medicine. The fruit, or meizi, is processed into various forms, including pickled umeboshi in Japan, sour suanmeitang juice in China, and maesil-cheong syrup in Korea. Cultivation is extensive, with over 300 recorded cultivars in China alone, categorized into groups like the Upright Mei and Pendulous Mei. Whether used in traditional tea, fermented into liquors like umeshu, or displayed in meiping vases, the Prunus mume remains a central figure in the cultural landscape of East Asia.

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