Ume

Ume (Prunus mume) is a species of stone fruit tree native to China and widely cultivated in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Though commonly called a plum in English — as in the well-known umeboshi (pickled plum) — it is botanically closer to the apricot. The fruit is small, round, and extremely sour when raw, making it unsuitable for eating fresh.

Ume is a cornerstone ingredient in Japanese food culture. The fruit is salt-pickled to make umeboshi, a sharp, salty condiment served with rice and used in onigiri (rice balls). It is also used to make umeshu, a sweet liqueur made by steeping the fruit in spirits with sugar. In Chinese cuisine, the smoked and dried fruit is used in sour plum drinks and sauces.

Ume trees are occasionally grown in Australia by home gardeners and specialty growers, particularly in cooler temperate regions. The fruit itself is sometimes available at Asian grocery stores, and umeboshi and umeshu are widely stocked as imports.