Jamaican Plum

Photo: flickr user Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection

About

Jamaican plum is not a plum, but belongs to the same family as mango. The golden yellow to deep red and purple fruits are small, a little over a inch long. Jamaican plums can be eaten raw, sweetened and served with other fruits, pickled or made into jams and jellies.

Information

Other names: Jamaican Jewish plum, June Plum

Translations: Jamaikas Plum, Jamaikos Slyvų, Jamaican prune, Jamajčanski šljiva, Jamaica Mai, Jamaicaanse Plum, जमैकन बेर, Plum jamaicano, Ямайки Плам, Τζαμαϊκανός Plum, الجامايكي بلوم, 자메이카 매화, Jamajský Slivovice, Jamaika Plum, Jamaican kaakit-akit, 牙买加梅花, Jamaica Pruna, Jamajški Plum, Jamajský Slivovica, ג 'מייקה שזיף, Шљива Јамајке, ジャマイカプラム, Jamaïcain Plum, Jamaicanske Plum, Jamaicanske Plum, Jamaica Ciruela, Ямайки Плам, Jamaikan Plum, Ямайски сливи

Physical Description

While still green and hard, the Jamaican June plum fruits fall to the ground, a few at a time, over a period of several weeks. As the Jamaican June plum ripens, the Jamaican June plum skin and Jamaican June plum flesh turn golden-yellow. While the Jamaican June plum fruit is still firm, the flesh is crisp, juicy and sub acid, and has a somewhat pineapple-like fragrance and flavor.

Tasting Notes

Flavors: musky, sweet

Mouthfeel: Crisp

Food complements: Chicken, Pork

Wine complements: Red wine

Beverage complements: Rum

Substitutes: Mango

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: march, april, may, june, july, august

Peak: april, may, june, july

Buying: The Jamaican June plum fruits are sold in markets in Vietnam and elsewhere in former Indochina.

Procuring: The Jamaican plum flourishes in humid tropical and subtropical areas, being only a trifle more tender than its close relative, the mango. The Jamaican plum succeeds up to an altitude of 2,300 ft (700 m). In Israel, the Jamaican plum does not thrive remaining small and bearing only a few, inferior Jamaican plum fruits.

Preparation and Use

Jamaican plums can be eaten raw, sweetened and served with other fruits, poached, pickled, or made into jams and jellies.

Cleaning: You can rinse thoroughly with cold running water prior to preparation and use.

Conserving and Storing

Store in refrigerator for 3-5 days at best.

Social/Political

The Jamaican June plum first fruited in the Philippines in 1915. The Jamaican June plum is cultivated in Queensland, Australia, and grown on a small scale in Gabon and Zanzibar.

History: The Jamaican June plum is native from Melanesia through Polynesia and has been introduced into tropical areas of both the Old and New World.