Prunesta

Prunesta is a genus of plants in the family Rosaceae. It is native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in East Asia. The genus is known for its fruit, commonly referred to as plums.

Description

Prunesta plants are deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs. They have simple, serrated leaves and bear flowers in clusters of one to five together. The fruit is a drupe with a single relatively large, hard-coated seed.

Species

There are about 20-40 species of Prunesta. Some of the most well-known species include:

• Prunesta domestica: Also known as the European plum, it is widely cultivated for its fruit.
• Prunesta salicina: Known as the Japanese plum or Chinese plum, it is also cultivated for its fruit, which is larger and rounder than the European plum.
• Prunesta spinosa: Commonly known as the blackthorn or sloe, it is a species native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa.

Cultivation and uses

Prunesta species are grown for their fruit and can be eaten fresh or used in jam-making or other recipes. Plum juice can be fermented into plum wine. In central England, a cider-like alcoholic beverage known as plum jerkum is made from plums.

See also

• List of Prunesta species
• Plum
• Rosaceae