Maesil Plum 101

What is Maesil Plum?

Pronounced as “me-shil,” the fruit’scientific name is prunus mume. This sweet and tart fruit, also known as the Japanese ume or the Chinese apricot, is immensely popular in East Asian countries. Bursting with antioxidants, maesil plums are frequently used in recipes because of the fruit’s flavor and health benefits.

Maesil plums are usually the size of apricots, range from 12-15 grams in weight, and are ripe for harvest in the months of May and June.

At the Cheong Maesil Plum Farm, 80% of our space is used to cultivate four different varieties of maesil plum trees, the Nanko, Cheong Chook (Viridacalyx), Go Seong, and the Baek Gi Ha. The remaining 20% of the farm is occupied by companion plants to help promote larger number of blooms and higher crop yields.

Prunus Mume Nanko

The Nanko variety has white flowers that begin to bloom at the start of March. The fruits are slightly larger and plump (25-35 grams), making this maesil plum variety ideal for our pickled products line.

Cheong Chook (Prunum Mume Viridacalyx)

The Cheong Chook variety is initially green and turns into different shades of yellow when ripe. On parts of the fruit where it has received direct sunlight, there will be deep shades of red. Because this variety has high crop yields during cold climates, the southern part of the Jeolla Province’s natural climate is quite suitable.

Goseong

This variety blooms a bit later and has smaller pits than other maesil plum varieties. Perfect for making maesil plum juice and wine, this meaty fruit ranges from 25-30 grams in size. This variety’s most unique characteristic is its high tolerance for infections.

So Mae

Ranging from 15-25 grams in weight, this variety is most similar in characteristics with the Nanko variety.