Food Plants International

463
Names
English: Plum Scientific name: Prunus sp.
Tok pisin: Synonyms:
Tok ples: Plant family: Rosaceae
Description: Slender trees which lose their leaves. The
leaves are toothed around the edge and hairy
underneath. Leaves in the bud are rolled. Flowers are
white. The fruit is a one seeded round fleshy fruit.
Distribution: Suitable only for high altitude areas in
the tropics. (Japanese plums need less cold weather
than European plums to start off flower formation).
The soil needs to be well drained. Trees need plenty of
sunlight. Trees can stand frost except at flowering.
Cultivation: Plums are often grown from seed. They can be budded or grafted. Many kinds of
plums have to be pollinated from other trees.
Production:
Use: The fruit are eaten raw or cooked.
Food Value: Per 100 g edible portion
Edible Moisture Energy Protein
part
Fruit
% KJ g
Insects:
Diseases:
Pests:
Calcium
mg
Iron
mg
proVit A
µg
proVit C
mg
Importance: A few trees are established and fruit in the highland areas of Papua New Guinea.
Zinc
mg