Fu'an Furong Plum

Fu'an Furong Plum

Fu'an Furong Plum is a product with geographical indication.

　　Fu'an has a long history of growing plum varieties, among which the Furong plum (known locally as Fen plum, named for the abundant bloom on its surface) has been cultivated since the Ming Dynasty, with over 180 years of history. According to the county annals from the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty: “Plums (including wheat plum, honey plum, imperial plum, fen plum, yellow wax goose plum, yellow rouge plum, etc.),” indicating that plums were already grown in Fu'an during the Ming Dynasty. The 1884 edition of the Fu'an County Annals, Volume on Products, states: “There are fen plum, wheat plum, white plum, yellow wax plum, rouge plum, and red belly plum, all fine varieties.” This shows that multiple plum varieties were cultivated in Fu'an during the Qing Dynasty. The Fu'an Agricultural Annals record: “In the second year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1832), Fu'an already had fine varieties such as fen plum, white plum, yellow wax plum, wheat plum, and rouge plum. By the second year of the Xuantong reign (1910), the Nanhupan area in the urban district was already planted with large patches of Furong plum.” Fu'an Furong Plum is the most distinctive traditional and premium fruit in our city. It is an outstanding local variety developed through long-term adaptation to the regional climate and soil, often hailed as the “gem among plums.” It features abundant bloom, large size, thick flesh, small pit, non-sticky pit, good storability, and well-balanced sweet and sour flavors. It can be eaten fresh and is also an excellent raw material for processed export-quality preserved plums. Due to its superior quality, tolerance to extensive farming, and good economic returns, making it suitable for mountainous development, farmers are highly motivated to grow Furong plum. Nowadays, the northern part of Fu'an, centered around Tan Tou, has become the main production area. The city’s Furong plum cultivation covers 47,000 mu, with an annual output of 49,000 tons. The produced Furong plums have bright red skin, thick bloom, large size with crisp texture, thick flesh and small pits, and an edible rate of over 80%. Individual fruits weigh 45–60 grams, with deep red flesh, balanced sweet and sour taste, and soluble solids content of 12.5%–14.5%.

　　The local specialty Furong plum is a premium fruit known for its large size, high sweetness, and good storability. Processed into dried fruits and preserves, it sells well across the country and is highly praised by consumers. Currently, dried plums are fully available on the market. Another local specialty, pseudostellaria heterophylla (Tai Zi Shen), has a long planting history and offers benefits such as being neither heating nor drying, and aiding digestion. With the development of the market economy, adding pseudostellaria heterophylla to medicines, health products, and beverages has significantly enhanced their efficacy, earning recognition and praise from all sectors of society. (Fu'an)

　　Fu'an City is the hometown of Furong plum, leading the nation in both cultivation area and yield. Fu'an Furong plum features large size, thick flesh, small pit, well-balanced sweet and sour taste, and non-sticky pit. It can be eaten fresh and is also an excellent raw material for processed export-quality preserved plums. A series of preserved fruits made with Furong plum as the base—such as jianzi, rose plum, and dried Furong plum—have unique flavors and retain the original fruit's freshness, making them popular urban snacks.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The protected production area of Fu'an Furong Plum covers 12 administrative villages in the main producing towns within Fu'an’s administrative region, including Tan Tou, Cheng Yang, She Kou, and Shang Bai Shi (longitude 119°38′41″ to 119°44′17″, latitude 27°10′15″ to 27°14′50″, 9.2 km wide from east to west, 8.5 km long from north to south). The protected zone is located in the main northern production area, specifically in 8 administrative villages of Tan Tou Town including Fu Luo Ban, Dong Kun, Tan Tou, and Keng Yuan, as well as in 4 other villages: Hu Tang Ban and Dong Kou in Cheng Yang Township, Sha Xi in She Kou Town, Cai Hong in Shang Bai Shi Town. The total area is 78.2 square kilometers, with nearly 8,000 mu of Furong plum cultivation and an annual output of 11,000 tons of fresh fruit.