Japanese Apricot
Prunus mume — Rosaceae
Italiano: Albicocca giapponese — Ume
Description
Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume) belongs to the Rosaceae family and is native to Asia. It thrives in Hillsides, Gardens, Temples environments across regions including China, Japan, Korea. Botanically, Japanese Apricot is unripe fruit pickled umeboshi. Very sour. Medicinal.. It is also known locally as Ume. The edible parts include Fruits. With an edibility rating of 6/10, it ranks as a good wild food source. Harvesting is best done during July and June. Nutritionally, Japanese Apricot stands out for its Vitamin C (15.0mg, 17% DV), Vitamin A (35.0mg, 4% DV) and Potassium (157.0mg, 3% DV). It also provides 4.6g protein and 2.6g dietary fiber per 100g serving. In the kitchen, Japanese Apricot offers a Very sour flavor profile. Pickled umeboshi. Common culinary applications include umeboshi, ume syrup. Popular preparations include Umeboshi, Ume syrup, Wild vegetable stir-fry, Steamed wild greens. For storage, pickled 2yr. Safety note: No toxicity. Unripe fruit mildly toxic from pit. Antinutrient content is tannins unripe. Cyanogenic pit. Safe lookalike species include Plum. Always verify identification with at least three independent botanical sources before consumption.
🌿 Foraging Tips
🍳 Recipe: Umeboshi
This is one of the traditional ways to prepare this wild edible plant. Always ensure proper plant identification before cooking.
Edibility
Harvest Calendar
Nutrition (per 100g)
Culinary Uses: umeboshi, ume syrup Storage: Pickled 2yr
Recipes
- Umeboshi
- Ume syrup
- Wild vegetable stir-fry
- Steamed wild greens
- Vegetable tart
- Stir-fried Japanese Apricot
- Japanese Apricot tempura
- Japanese Apricot and tofu soup
