Sweet, delectable and juicy, plums are relatives of the peach, almond and nectarine. There are more than 2,000 varieties of prunes from six general categories—American, Damson, Japanese, Ornamental, Wild and European. More than 100 varieties of plums are available in the United States.

Since there are so many varieties of plums, they come in a myriad of colors, and even their sizes and shapes vary. Their skins can be purple, red, blue-black, green, amber or yellow, and the color of their flesh can be yellow, green, pink or orange. Plums are typically round but can also be oval or heart-shaped.

This incredible fruit has been in existence since the ancient Roman times! In fact, there were already more than 300 varieties of European plums back then. Plums were brought over to the US by European pilgrims in the 17th century.

Plums are available from May through October. Enjoy this delicious fruit fresh on its own or in fruit salads, or dried as prunes. They can be added as a filling for tarts and pies, made into sauces for meat dishes, or made into ice cream and sherberts.

Plums are  a very good source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, dietary fiber and potassium. To obtain the most antioxidants, consume fully ripened plums.