Lemon Plum

Growing up I ate a lot of plums. We had a few plum trees in my backyard and there were some neighborhood trees that we could pick plums off of as well when they were in season. Plums grow really well in California where I grew up. Recently I had the opportunity to try the lemon plum. It was my first time trying this particular variety of plums. And of course, I decided to share it with you all.

Time to learn all about the Lemon plum or Chameleon plum. In this article, I will mention where lemon plums come from and where they grow, what the health benefits are, how to eat them, and what they taste like. On to the information!

Where does the lemon plum come from and where does it grow?

The lemon plum with the scientific name Prunus salicina is a rare variety of plums belonging to the Rosaceae family. They were developed by a grower in Israel under the name of Lamoon plum. It is NOT a mix between a lemon and a plum, that would just be silly. It gets its name because of the color and shape, but mainly the unique lemon-like shape.

This particular variety of plum was then licensed to growers in Chile. Since then there have been a few growers in the United States growing them as well. Their season is fairly short and is available from late winter to early spring. Also, you can’t find them in most countries. They can be found in the United States and Canada where they are imported from Chile. Also, they can be found in the Middle East.

I found my lemon plums at my local Asian market called H-Mart.

Health Benefits of the Lemon Plum or Chameleon plum

Lemon plums are highly nutritious and have the following healthy benefits:

• Excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C
• Improve skin complexion
• Boosts and supports the immune system
• Reduces inflammation
• Good source of fiber
• Lower amounts of phosphate, potassium, and calcium

You can find more health benefits at specialty produce.

How do you eat the lemon plum? When is it ripe?

It is really easy to tell when the lemon plum is ripe. When picked it will be a bright yellow color and be fairly firm. And then it will ripen on the counter and turn from yellow to red and will have some give to it when pressed. This is why it is called the Chameleon plum because of its color-changing properties as it ripens.

To eat it, you can eat it like any other plum. Just rinse it and bite into it if you like. There is a pit in the center. The pit is small in comparison to the fruit. You can also slice it in half and into smaller pieces from there after removing the pit.

What does the lemon plum taste like? How else can you use it?

Lemon plums can be eaten when ripe and fresh. They are crispy, and fairly firm, with a bit of sweetness and a bit of sour and slightly acidic taste. They are much sweeter when ripe and very juicy.

It is hard to exactly describe the taste, it tastes like a different plum variety.

Besides being eaten fresh, they are tossed in salads, used in yogurt bowls, blended in smoothies, made into jelly, served with nuts and cheese, and also used in baking with tarts and cakes.

If you are a fan of plums I think you will really like this.

I hope you enjoyed learning all about this unique and rare plum, the Lemon plum.

Watch the video review I did here:

All About the Lemon Plum

Here are other fruits you may want to learn about:

Hami Melon

White Guava

Honey Pomelo

Egg Fruit or Canistel

Gaya Melon