Plum
<p>A <b >plum</b> or <b >gage</b> is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drupe" title="Drupe" >stone fruit</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree" title="Tree" >tree</a> in the genus <i ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus" title="Prunus" >Prunus</a></i>, subgenus <i >Prunus</i>. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peach" title="Peach" >peaches</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry" title="Cherry" >cherries</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_cherry_(subgenus)" title="Bird cherry (subgenus)" >bird cherries</a>, etc.) in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoot" title="Shoot" >shoots</a> having a terminal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud" title="Bud" >bud</a> and solitary side buds (not clustered), the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower" title="Flower" >flowers</a> in groups of one to five together on short <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_stem" title="Plant stem" >stems</a>, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit" title="Fruit" >fruit</a> having a groove running down one side and a smooth<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrena" title="Pyrena" >stone</a> (or <i >pit</i>).</p>
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Plum fruit tastes sweet and/or tart; the skin may be particularly tart. It is juicy and can be eaten fresh or used in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam" title="Jam" class="mw-redirect" >jam</a>-making or other recipes. Plum juice can be fermented into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_wine" title="Plum wine" class="mw-redirect" >plum wine</a>; when distilled, this produces a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandy" title="Brandy" >brandy</a> known in Eastern Europe as <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slivovitz" title="Slivovitz" >Slivovitz</a></i>, <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakia" title="Rakia" >Rakia</a></i>, <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A2uic%C4%83" title="Ţuică" >Ţuică</a></i> or <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A1linka" title="Pálinka" >Pálinka</a></i>. In central England, a cider-like alcoholic beverage known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_jerkum" title="Plum jerkum" >plum jerkum</a>is made from plums.</p>
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Dried plums (or prunes) are also sweet and juicy and contain several <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant" title="Antioxidant" >antioxidants</a>. Plums and prunes are known for their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laxative" title="Laxative" >laxative</a> effect. This effect has been attributed to various compounds present in the fruits,
such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber" title="Dietary fiber" >dietary fiber</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbitol" title="Sorbitol" >sorbitol</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum#cite_note-1" >[2]</a></sup> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isatin" title="Isatin" >isatin</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum#cite_note-2" >[3]</a></sup> </p>
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Prunes and prune juice are often used to help regulate the functioning of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestive_system" title="Digestive system" class="mw-redirect" >digestive system</a>. Dried prune marketers in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States" >United States</a> have, in recent years, begun marketing their product as "dried plums". This is due to "prune" having negative connotations connected with elderly people suffering from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constipation" title="Constipation" >constipation</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum#cite_note-3" >[4]</a></sup></p>