Where Does the Wild Sour Plum Come From? A Detailed Guide to Its Benefits and Cultivation Methods

The wild sour plum, scientifically known as Prunus cerasifera (cherry plum), belongs to the Rosaceae family and the Prunus genus. It is a perennial tree whose fruit is round or oval in shape, coming in four colors - red, black, purple and yellow - bright and attractive, with a sweet-and-sour taste that makes it edible. So, where does the wild sour plum come from? What benefits and effects does it have? How is it cultivated?

I. Where does the wild sour plum come from?

The wild sour plum is mainly produced in Daxigou Township, Huocheng County, Xinjiang. Locals also call it Tianshan small black plum or wild cherry plum. The sour plum forest is a rare species unique to Asia, found only on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains within Daxigou, Huocheng County, Xinjiang. It is the only remaining and extremely precious wild fruit species in the world, and also a rare, endangered and near-extinct primitive wild fruit.

II. What benefits and effects does the wild sour plum have?

Scientific testing and analysis show that the fruit of the wild sour plum is rich in organic acids, natural pigments, pectin, multiple vitamins such as VA, VB, VC, VE and VPP, and multiple mineral elements beneficial to the human body such as selenium, zinc, iron and calcium. It is also rich in flavonoid tannin compounds, complete-nutrition amino acids and more. Toxicological test results show that it has properties such as stimulating the appetite and relieving summer heat, protecting the liver and spleen, and lowering blood lipids. Its nutritional value and processing suitability are far higher than those of various common fruits.

Its organic acid content is high, and the acidity is pure; its color is bright and stable, with good heat sensitivity; and its potassium and calcium content is high. Its content of essential amino acids for the human body is 30% higher than that of the blueberry, the champion of health foods recommended by the United Nations, which is unmatched by other fruits. Its calcium content ranks first among fruits, making it very helpful for supplementing calcium in young children and the elderly.

Its prominent vitamin A content and rich amino acids can help increase appetite and aid digestion. Its sufficient potassium salt content can soften blood vessels and has good health benefits in protecting the liver and spleen, suppressing high blood pressure and high blood lipids, and improving human immunity.

People with excess liver fire should eat more of it. It can not only calm and reduce liver fire, but also help the spleen and stomach digest and nourish the liver. The wild sour plum contains particularly large amounts of citric acid, which can effectively inhibit lactic acid and drive out harmful substances that age blood vessels. Because sour plum can promote the secretion of salivary glands and gastric glands, it can promote salivation and quench thirst, and it can also prevent motion sickness during outings. It can also help sober one up, and can help restore vitality to muscles, bones and vascular tissues. It truly has many benefits.

III. How is the wild sour plum cultivated?

1. Orchard establishment

① Site selection: choose sandy loam soil with deep soil layers that is not prone to water accumulation, and establish the orchard in an inversion layer zone at an altitude of 800-1100 m, with shelterbelt strips built around it.

② Seedling selection: choose excellent grafted lines I14-14, I16-56 and II20-38 on their own rootstock; choose pollinator lines I16-38 and V2-16.

2. Field planting

In early spring, plant in the orchard after the ditches have been prepared, using a spacing of 2 x 3-4 m or 3 x 4 m between plants and rows.

3. Training and pruning

① Trunk determination: after planting and survival, determine the trunk once growth begins, at a height of 50-60 cm.

② Pruning Winter pruning: the time is before bud break (before the end of March); winter pruning of young trees can be slightly later. Pruning is mainly thinning, removing competing branches and whorled branches. Prune according to the tree to achieve sparse outside and dense inside, sparse top and dense bottom, maintain a reasonable tree shape, allow fruiting branch groups to obtain sufficient light and nutrients, and delay as much as possible the overly rapid outward movement of fruiting positions.

Growing-season pruning: the time is spring, summer and autumn. The purpose of pruning is to regulate the contradiction between vegetative growth and reproductive growth, moderate tree vigor, and promote flower bud differentiation. Pruning methods include bud removal, branch thinning, branch propping and branch bending.

③ Pruning of young trees is mainly based on natural growth, cultivating scaffold branches to form a natural spindle shape or slender spindle shape. Generally, heading back is not needed. Thin out whorled branches, remove overly vigorous back branches, drooping weak branches and competing branches of extension branches at all levels. Prune as little as possible. Fruiting branch groups are directly borne on the trunk, arranged every 30-40 cm according to space, with tree height controlled at 2-3 m.

④ Pruning of fruiting trees is mainly thinning, combining thinning with releasing, and appropriately heading back. Thin out competing branches to promote the rapid growth and formation of the central leader.

⑤ Pruning of trees in full fruiting period: carry out planned renewal pruning by cutting back perennial branches, thin out weak branch groups and keep strong ones, remove old ones and keep new ones, and leave upper buds and upper branches at the cut.