Cherry plum is a close relative of plum. This plant is also called tkemali and cherry plum. The range of applications of cherry plum is incredibly wide: food industry, traditional medicine, cosmetology, design, cooking. But this is not a complete list of industries in which this tree and its fruits are actively used by humans. This popularity is due to the fact that there is practically no waste when processing the mentioned fruit. Even the seeds have been used: the outer shell is used to produce activated carbon, and the contents are used to make various cosmetic oils.
Useful properties of cherry plum
The pulp of the cherry plum fruit is very valuable - only 35 kcal per 100 g of product. Fresh fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, its amount can reach 13 mg per 100 g. Green cherry plum is also incredibly rich in vitamins E, PP, A, B, P, as well as fiber and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron . An interesting feature of cherry plums is that the proportions of minerals and vitamins directly depend on the color. Thus, the Shater variety of cherry plum has large yellow-green fruits, incredibly rich in vitamin C and citric acid, while the iron content in them is much less than, for example, in the orange-pink fruits of the Gek variety.
What are the benefits of green cherry plum?
Even the unripe fruits of this tree can be incredibly beneficial. Green cherry plum contains a huge amount of citric acid, the content of which can reach 14% of dry volume. This means that unripe specimens are best suited for cheap industrial production of this type of acid. In cooking, green cherry plum serves as an excellent addition to various meat dishes: side dishes and sauces containing unripe cherry plum fruits not only give the dish a piquant taste, but also improve its digestibility.
While cherry plum is green, it is also an excellent antioxidant. Therefore, cosmetologists recommend using this product as one of the components for various programs of rejuvenation and cleansing of the body. For example, a mask made from crushed seeds and cherry plum pulp can restore freshness to the face after a long hot day. It is especially useful for those with oily and sensitive skin. However, when creating a list of necessary procedures using a fruit such as green cherry plum, you should carefully read the contraindications.
The use of cherry plum in the household
Everyone knows that heat treatment often destroys almost all the vitamins and nutrients contained in raw materials. However, cherry plum fruits are so rich in these very substances that even in jam, compotes and other types of preservation, green cherry plum is still incredibly useful. Supporters of a raw food diet can be recommended to dry or freeze these unique gifts of nature.
Green cherry plum in folk medicine and cosmetology
Traditional healers often recommend cherry plum decoction as an excellent remedy for improving digestion and appetite. It will be especially useful for people suffering from Cherry plum - an excellent antipyretic, diaphoretic and anti-inflammatory agent, therefore decoctions and infusions are prepared from the roots of this fruit tree and are used in the treatment of colds.
One can talk about the beneficial properties of green cherry plum for hours... However, the amount of information that the reader will glean from our article is quite enough to arouse interest in this amazing product.
Botanical name: Cherry plum, or spreading plum (Prunus nodivaricata Ldb), or cherry-like plum, a species of fruit trees from the genus Plum of the Rosaceae family, the most valuable representative of wild plums, the original form of domestic plum.
Homeland of cherry plum: Transcaucasia, Asia Minor, Iran.
Lighting: photophilous.
The soil: any soil neutral reaction.
Watering: drought-resistant.
Maximum tree height: 13 m.
Average lifespan of a tree: 45 years, some specimens - up to 60 years.
Landing: propagated by seeds, layering and grafting.
Biological description of the cherry plum fruit in the photo
A fruit tree, branched, with one or several trunks, in the southern regions reaches a height of 15 m, in the northern regions it grows no higher than 4-5 m, sometimes it looks like a large shrub.
The trunk of the cherry plum tree is about 50 cm thick, the shoots are reddish-brown, prickly, the crown is spherical-spreading, less often pyramidal, thickened in most varieties.
The root system is superficial, powerful, on loose soils it penetrates to a depth of up to 12 m, on denser soils – up to 2 m, and spreads laterally up to 10 m, going beyond the crown. Root shoots rarely develop, only when the roots are damaged.
The leaves are simple, oval or oblong, with a pointed tip, up to 4 cm long, dark green in summer, yellow in autumn. The culture is characterized by a high degree of bud awakening, due to which overgrowing branches appear even on skeletal branches.
Cherry plum tree blooms
Cherry plum flowers (see photo below) are white and light pink, with yellow or orange anthers, with a diameter of 20 to 40 mm, located on long stalks of 1, less often 2 pieces. They appear in large numbers on annual and overgrowing shoots, simultaneously and sometimes even before foliage; during this period the trees are very decorative. Cherry plum blooms in early May for 7-11 days, sometimes in the fall there is a weak re-bloom.
The crop is distinguished by its exceptional precocity, it begins to bear fruit 3 years after planting, and some varieties lay flower buds in the nursery. The fruits are a round or elongated, sometimes flattened drupe with a slight longitudinal groove, weighing from 3-6 g in wild varieties, up to 60 g in cultivated varieties. The pulp of the fruit is green, yellow or pink, watery or gristly consistency, with a sweet and sour taste. The color of the peel can be green-yellow, yellow, red, purple and even black, depending on the variety; the fruits have a white waxy coating and a seed that is difficult to separate from the pulp; they ripen in August-September.
Use of cherry plum in culture
In the wild, the tree grows not only in Transcaucasia, which is traditionally considered the birthplace of culture, but over a vast territory from the foothills of the Alps to the northern foothills of the Himalayas. Found in undergrowth and bushes along river banks. It has long been cultivated in gardens; cherry plum was used as a fruit for food back in the 1st-3rd centuries.
Until the middle of the last century, due to insufficient frost resistance, it was grown only in warm regions, but now, thanks to the selection work carried out, new varieties have appeared that feel good in Central Russia, the Moscow region and the more northern Leningrad region; they have begun to be grown even in the Far East . Winter-hardy forms were obtained mainly by crossing cherry plum with a related species, Chinese plum, the wood of which can withstand temperatures down to -50 ° C.
The plant is valued for its healthy and tasty fruits, which are consumed fresh, as well as in the form of compotes, jams, marmalades and marshmallows; various sauces and seasonings are prepared from them; dried cherry plum completely replaces prunes. There are decorative forms with variegated or red foliage, as well as with a weeping or pyramidal crown, from which alleys, hedges and borders are formed. In addition, green cherry plum is used for the industrial production of citric acid, which is not only found in large quantities in unripe fruits (up to 14% of dry weight), but can also be easily and cheaply extracted.
The advantages of the crop include unpretentiousness to soils, drought resistance, early fruiting and high annual yield, up to 300 kg per mature tree. The plant has a long lifespan, up to 45-60 years, while it actively bears fruit for 20-25 years.
Cherry plum also has a number of disadvantages, the main one of which is still insufficient winter hardiness. At low temperatures in winter, damage to wood is possible; a short period of dormancy causes the beginning of the growing season during prolonged warming, which leads to damage to the awakened buds when cold weather returns. In addition, most varieties are self-sterile, so for successful pollination there should be at least 2-3 of them in gardens.
Varieties of cherry plum in the photo
As mentioned above, cherry plum has two scientific names, plum, spread and cherry-like plum, while among taxonomists it is customary to use the first name for wild-growing ones, and the second for cultivated forms of the plant.
In addition, the species is divided into three significantly different subspecies or varieties: typical, or Caucasian wild, oriental, or Central Asian wild, and large-fruited. The first two subspecies include the wild cherry plum, which grows in the Balkans, Asia Minor and the Caucasus (typical or Caucasian cherry plum), or in Iran and Afghanistan (eastern cherry plum).
Large-fruited cherry plum includes all cultivated forms of the plant grown in gardens. In turn, this subspecies is also conventionally divided into a number of varieties characteristic of a particular cultivation region. A distinction is made between Georgian, Crimean, Iranian, Armenian, Tauride and red-leaved cherry plum (pissarda), and recently some experts have proposed separately considering the Balkan and Indian forms.
This division is due to significant differences between plants caused by different purposes of their cultivation in different regions. For example, the Georgian subspecies, or the tkemali group, is mainly red cherry plum with a tart and sour taste, intended for making hot sauces, and when growing the Crimean variety, emphasis was placed on large fruit and dessert taste.
Cherry plum pissard with pink and red leaves, flowers and fruits is used as an ornamental plant, although it has a number of forms with large fruits of good taste.
Most domestic large-fruited varieties were created on the basis of Crimean cherry plum. Among them there are trees with yellow, red, orange, purple and even black fruits. Interestingly, the color of the fruit has a significant impact on its chemical composition.
Thus, yellow cherry plum contains many carotenoids, sugars and citric acid, it contains practically no pectins, chokeberry, on the contrary, is rich in pectins, as well as anthocyanins, which protect the body from cancer and atherosclerosis.
Among modern promising developments, it is necessary to note the columnar cherry plum, created by the domestic breeder G. B. Eremin. This compact form is characterized by the fact that the fruits grow along the trunk and there are practically no branches.
Such a tree takes up little space, does not require pruning, is easy to treat with chemicals, and harvesting is also easy. The fruits of this cherry plum are large, up to 40 g, burgundy, with tasty yellow pulp, and the form is frost-resistant.
Finally, one cannot fail to mention such an important feature of the culture as the ability to cross with plants of related genera, thereby producing fertile offspring. Thus, it has been established that the well-known nectarine is a natural intergeneric hybrid of cherry plum and peach, Fergana plum, growing in the Tien Shan and Pamirs, is a natural hybrid of cherry plum and almond, etc. This property of cherry plum provides breeders with ample opportunities to create various cultural interspecific hybrids.
Cherry plum is a type of fruit plum. The difference is in the size of the fruit. Cherry plum has a pleasant aroma and is very healthy. Various compotes, sauces and jams are prepared from it. And there are a huge variety.
It can also be consumed both fresh and dried. Therefore, it is worth carefully understanding the properties of fruits and you can start with their composition.
Wild cherry plum contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. So, the fruit contains the following vitamins: A, B1, B2, C, E, PP. Most of it comes from vitamin C. 100 g of product contains 13 mg of ascorbic acid.
If we talk about the mineral composition, the fruit contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron and phosphorus. Cherry plum contains the most potassium. So, 100 g of fruit contains 188 mg of this mineral.
Ripe cherry plum, which has a thick skin and a distinct pleasant smell, is considered very useful. If the fruit is very soft, then it is better to discard it, as it may be spoiled. Eating such a fruit can lead to unpleasant consequences.
It is worth noting that the fruits store well in the refrigerator for several days. They can also be frozen for the winter without losing their beneficial properties.
The calorie content of cherry plum is 34 kcal per 100 g of fruit. At the same time, it contains 0.1 g of fat, 0.2 g of protein and 7.9 g of carbohydrates.
Beneficial properties for the body
Let's start with the benefits. Cherry plum is a low-calorie product that contains a large amount of beneficial vitamins and minerals. With its help you can improve digestion and activate metabolic processes. It is also often used to cleanse the intestines. Both yellow and red cherry plums are suitable for this.
The beneficial properties of the fruit include:
- Allows you to improve the absorption of fatty and meat foods.
- Improves intestinal function and allows you to gently get rid of constipation.
- Due to the presence of a large amount of ascorbic acid, consumption of the fruit allows you to strengthen blood vessels, reduce the absorption of cholesterol cells, and also improve immunity.
- In summer, fruits quench thirst well and refresh. Improves appetite.
- The product has choleretic properties and allows you to remove excess fluid from the body.
- Eating cherry plum will make it easier to endure stressful situations and prevent heart rhythm disturbances. It also helps you relax after a hard day at work.
- For colds, it is used to lower body temperature and eliminate headaches.
- It is very useful during pregnancy, as it is able to supply the woman’s body with all the necessary elements.
In fact, cherry plum has many beneficial properties. Therefore, it is widely used to treat various diseases, strengthen the immune system, and also when following a diet. Oil is produced from the seeds, which is similar in properties to almond oil. It is widely used in cosmetology and perfumery. The shell is also used in the production of activated carbon.
Oil or crushed fruits are widely used for various masks, which have a beneficial effect on various skin types. So, using the prepared product you can dry out oily skin and eliminate acne. Cherry plum has a rejuvenating effect. Fruit tincture is used to strengthen hair.
Harm from cherry plum and contraindications for use
There are no particular contraindications for the fetus. Cherry plum is a fairly healthy fruit that contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Of course, this does not mean that it needs to be consumed daily in large quantities. Abuse of such a product can cause poisoning. A clear symptom of this is heartburn, severe abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Excessive consumption of this fruit can lead to an increase in blood sugar. The fruits contain organic acids, which in large quantities can increase the acidity in the stomach. Therefore, consuming the product in large quantities is contraindicated for people who suffer from gastritis and ulcers.
It is forbidden to eat fruits with pits. The fact is that it contains a strong acid that can cause significant harm to the human body.
Cherry plum is not contraindicated during pregnancy. But, despite this, it is necessary to limit the consumption of the fruit, even taking into account the fact that it has a beneficial effect on the body of the expectant mother.
It is also not recommended to give the fruit to children under one year of age. After this, cherry plum can be included in the diet. Feeding should be done gradually, starting with half a spoon. To do this, it is worth using yellow varieties of cherry plum, which will prevent the occurrence of an allergic reaction in the child.
The fruit is contraindicated for consumption by people who suffer from:
- Gout and rheumatism
- Increased stomach acidity
In addition, cherry plum is contraindicated if a person has a predisposition to an allergic reaction.
Use in folk medicine
In folk medicine, the fruit is used to treat various diseases. So, with its help you can:
- Get rid of constipation. It has a mild laxative effect, which makes it possible to quickly get rid of constipation. A decoction based on the fruit is used as a remedy. To prepare it you will need 200 g of fresh or 3 tbsp. dried fruits. They need to be filled with water and boiled for 5 minutes. After this, leave the broth for several hours to let it brew. It is consumed 200 ml 3 times a day.
- Cure cough and cold. To overcome such diseases, decoctions based on the bark and roots of the tree are used. To prepare the medicine you will need 40 g of crushed roots. They are filled with a liter of water and boiled for 7 minutes. The decoction is taken 100 g throughout the day.
- Cure liver diseases. To prepare the remedy, use 20 g of color and a glass of boiling water. Pour water over the flowers and leave to infuse for 2 hours. After this, strain the tincture. Take half a glass twice a day.
In addition, cherry plum is used to care for the skin of the entire body.
The use of cherry plum during pregnancy and breastfeeding
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, fruit can be included in the diet. Of course, you need to make sure that the cherry plum does not cause an allergic reaction and discomfort.
Since the fruits contain a lot of acids, they can cause heartburn. Therefore, they must be consumed in limited quantities and very carefully.
Recipes with yellow and red cherry plum
You can prepare various dishes from the fruit. Particularly popular are:
- Jelly for the winter. The berries must be thoroughly washed and pitted. Place them in a saucepan and cover with sugar. Place the pan on the fire. After half an hour, add diluted gelatin and simmer for another 10 minutes. The prepared jam is poured into jars and covered with lids.
- For cooking, ripe and even somewhat overripe fruits are used. They are thoroughly washed and pitted. Place the peeled fruits in an enamel pan and add a glass of water. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes. After the specified time has passed, carefully grind the berries through a colander. Return the resulting slurry to the pan, add sugar and cook for another 40 minutes. Throughout the entire time you need to mix the jam thoroughly.
- Tkemali made from cherry plum. Green fruits are used to prepare the sauce. First you need to wash them. Then add water and cook until tender. At the next stage, drain the juice and carefully grind the finished berries through a colander. Grind coriander seeds, salt, garlic and herbs in a blender. Add the resulting pulp to the ground fruits and boil everything for several minutes. Pour the finished sauce into jars and place in a cool place.
- Adjika. Boil the berries and remove the seeds. Mix spices, pepper and garlic in a blender. Add cooled berries, salt and sugar. Grind everything thoroughly and transfer to a saucepan. Add enough water to make a paste with a consistency similar to sour cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 15 minutes.
In fact, there are quite a lot of recipes for preparing cherry plum dishes. And here we are talking not only about jam or jam, but also about sauce, compote, and more. This popularity is due to the fact that cherry plum has beneficial properties, as it contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it is worth studying in more detail and starting to grow a tree in your garden.
cherry plum photo
Cherry plum contains many useful substances:
- pectins;
- carbohydrates;
- vitamin C;
- organic acids;
- B vitamins;
- potassium;
- provitamin A;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- phosphorus;
- calcium.
It is the composition of this plant that determines the color of its fruits: yellow cherry plum is distinguished by the presence of a large amount of sugar and citric acid, and it also contains practically no tannins. And the chokeberry variety Opal contains a lot of pectin. Its calorie content is 34 kcal.
Cherry plum is an excellent medicinal and dietary fruit. The substances contained in the fruit have a diuretic, blood purifying, mild laxative and anti-inflammatory effect, so it is recommended to eat it when:
- chronic inflammation of the biliary tract and liver;
- colds;
- kidney diseases;
- impotence;
- irregular bowel movements;
- vitamin deficiency.
Due to its beneficial properties, cherry plum is also recommended for scurvy, night blindness and to increase appetite.
Video: Cherry plum
Distribution of cherry plum
One of the varieties of plums is cherry plum. It grows either in the form of a very thorny tree or a bush from one and a half to fifteen meters high. The fruits of the cherry plum are round and juicy, have a yellow, red, purple or black color with a slight waxy coating and a weak longitudinal groove. It is also called tkemali, mirabelle or cherry plum.
There are such types of cherry plum as Rubinovaya, Shater, Granit, Evgenia, Gek and many others, each of which differs in terms of ripening, growing conditions, taste of the berries, but all of them are very useful for humans. Even the best varieties of cherry plum are very unpretentious and productive; up to 100 kg can be harvested from one tree. fruits Each fruit has a seed, which is difficult to separate from the juicy and fleshy pulp.
Cherry plum is an ancient plant. Traces of its distribution were found in excavations in Western Asia and Transcaucasia, where its beneficial properties were known even before our era. Today, a large number of it grows in Central Asia, the Caucasus and Crimea, but its close and distant “relatives” are found in almost all corners of the world.
You can grow this type of tree at home; they do not require special conditions, but they prefer warm, sunny places and moist areas, so its yield increases noticeably. Pruning of cherry plums, budding and fertilization are carried out once a year, in the fall.
Application
decoctions are prepared from green cherry plum for chronic colitis
The fruits of the cherry plum are eaten raw and baked. Cooks all over the world make compotes, marmalades, preserves from them, and add them to the preparation of marmalades. Hybrid cherry plum will perfectly quench your thirst if you make juice from it. Also, a drink made from it is effective as a tonic and refreshing drink.
If you add a little camphor to cherry plum juice and dilute it with water, you can make lotions that have a wound-healing effect. Decoctions and infusions from it are used to gargle a sore throat during ARVI. The beneficial properties of this plant will help treat coughs, and since it is a good natural expectorant, it is used in the treatment of viral infections of the respiratory tract.
To prepare the infusion, you will need dried cherry plum. You need to take 1 tablespoon of dried fruits, pour 200 ml of them. hot water and leave in a thermos for 5 hours. After this, the resulting infusion must be filtered through cheesecloth. Take it 60-70 ml. three times a day on an empty stomach.
In folk medicine for chronic colitis, not only a decoction of the fruit is used, but also an infusion of the leaves and flowers of this type of plant, such as green cherry plum. To prepare it you need to pour 30 grams. flowers and leaves with 2 cups of hot water, leave for 3-4 hours, and then strain. Take it 100 ml. three times a day before meals.
Peach plum is used in the form of decoctions and tinctures as a diaphoretic and antipyretic, and gum, a clear liquid that flows from a tree if it is “injured,” is recommended by doctors to be taken as an antitussive drug.
Columnar and mountain cherry plum perfectly stimulates intestinal peristalsis. For impotence, kidney and liver diseases, a tincture of its flowers in water is used. The remedy, which is prepared from the gum mucus of these plants, is used in the fight against stomach ulcers.
Fruits of this type, such as royal cherry plum, contain a large amount of pectin and natural fibers, which makes it possible to use it to remove radionuclides from the human body. The seeds of these fruits are also beneficial. From them they produce oil, which in its composition resembles almond oil. If you do not count the shell, the oil content of cherry plum seeds is up to 43%. It contains amygdalin - a substance that, in the presence of emulsin and water, can be converted into glucose, benzoic aldehyde and hydrocyanic acid. Cherry plum oil is also widely used in the production of medicinal soaps and in the perfume industry.
This plant is practically waste-free, since the shells of cherry plum seeds are used in the production of activated carbon, but not ordinary carbon, but the kind that is used to purify food industry products (for example, sugar and vodka).
Large-fruited cherry plum is an excellent dietary product. Its fruits contain a small amount of sugar, so it can even be included in the diet of patients with diabetes.
Cherry plum in cosmetology
to strengthen your hair, rinse it with cherry plum decoction
For representatives of the fair sex who have oily facial skin, an infusion of cherry plum wash (50 grams of ripe and crushed fruits, pour 0.1 liter of warm purified water overnight) will help restore the dullness of the skin.
The following technique will help in the fight against uninvited guests: take fresh cherry plum and rub the problem area of the skin well with the berry. By morning you will see that the rash has dried up.
A 20-minute mask made from pulp and crushed cherry plum seeds will rejuvenate the skin of the face, neck and décolleté. You can strengthen your hair roots and give them shine by rinsing with a decoction of 100 grams. crushed berries and 0.5 l. water.
Cherry plum in cooking
tkemali sauce made from cherry plum is popular in cooking
The first thing that comes to mind when you mention cherry plum in cooking is tkemali sauce. It is excellent as a seasoning for fatty meats, as it helps digestion.
To prepare this Georgian cherry plum sauce, you will need 700 gr. fruits that need to be put in a saucepan and filled with water. Pour water so that it just covers the cherry plums and cook until they are softened. Then drain the liquid and rub everything through a sieve, dilute it a little with the broth, add 200 grams each. crushed cilantro and dill, 160 gr. bitter capsicum, 120 gr. garlic and salt to taste. Bring all ingredients to a boil again. All! The cherry plum sauce should cool down and it is ready to eat.
Kvass and wine are also made from the fruits of this plant. Kvass is prepared from 1 kg. cherry plum, 10 l. water, 100 gr. sugar or honey, 25 gr. yeast and mint infusion. Boneless fruits are boiled for 40-50 minutes, other ingredients are added to it and left to ferment. Afterwards it is filtered, bottled and stored in the refrigerator.
Dessert cherry plum is suitable for making wine. Its fruits must be thoroughly washed and placed in a container specially prepared for fermentation. Water is poured there at the rate of 1 kg. cherry plums for 0.5 l. water and diluted yeast (3% of the resulting volume). The future wine for fermentation is left in a dark place where the air temperature does not exceed 25 degrees for at least 10 weeks. The finished wine is filtered and bottled.
The color green as such in a dream means hope, financial success, long trips.
Seeing a green dress in a dream foretells the fulfillment of hopes.
Using green paper in a dream means that in reality you will experience neglect in love or failure in business.
Seeing green lawns in a dream means that in reality a meaningful future awaits you.
A green hedge foreshadows joy and profit, a green spruce - pleasure.
Green coffee in a dream foreshadows arrogant enemies from whom you should not expect mercy, and if you do not take this dream as a warning, they will seek to harm you in every way.
Roasting green coffee in a dream warns against the bad intentions of strangers.
Green acorns on a tree or lying under it are a sign of good changes.
However, tearing them and collecting them foreshadows, on the contrary, bad events and meetings.
Green peas seen in a dream foretell good health and increased income.
Seeing mustard greens growing portends success and joy for everyone involved in agriculture.
Green lemon foretells an infectious disease or injury; eating it in a dream means humiliation and disappointment.
Eating green gooseberries in a dream is a sign of happiness that will visit you after worries.
Making green gooseberry jam - you will make a mistake in seeking pleasure, and will even be involved in a whirlpool of sensational events.
Seeing green leaves in a dream means the opportunity to receive a rich inheritance or marry a wealthy person.
A green meadow in a dream foreshadows happiness, health and prosperity that will accompany you for many years. Taking a green blade of grass into your mouth and chewing it means profit.
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