Kylin Plum

Kylin Plum

　　  Originating from Jimi Plum, it is one of the famous and premium fruits of Fengkai. With large fruit, small pit, and thick flesh, its texture is crisp, juicy, and fiber-free, offering a sweet and delicious taste. It has a subtle and unique fruity aroma, rich in various vitamins needed by the human body. Recognized by experts and consumers as a "treasure among fruits and the king of plums," it has been rated as a high-quality fruit of Guangdong.

　　  The Kylin Plum is a premium fruit of Fengkai County, with those produced in Yulao Town being the finest. Originating from Jimi Plum, which is one of the main varieties of Wengyuan Sanhua Plum, it was introduced to Qilin Mountain in 1975. Thanks to the mountain’s high-quality soil and climate, the quality of the plums improved significantly, forming the unique characteristics of the Kylin Plum—“large fruit, thick flesh, sweet and crisp, with a strong fragrance.”

　　  Fengkai Kylin Plum, originally called Yulao Jimi Plum, is actually a medium-red-flesh variety of Sanhua Plum. The fruit typically weighs between 40–60 grams, is oval-shaped, with a distinct suture line. Its skin is reddish-brown with evenly distributed yellow-gold speckles, and the flesh is purplish-red with a powdery bloom. It features “large fruit, small pit, crisp texture, and easy pit release.” The Kylin Plum is a deciduous fruit tree, highly adaptable, generally bearing fruit three years after planting and reaching peak production in five years, with an average yield of over 100 pounds per tree. Quality characteristics: In addition to being “large, small-pitted, sweet, crisp, and easy to separate from the pit,” the Kylin Plum is also rich in carbohydrates and various nutrients. Tests show that every 100 grams of fresh Kylin Plum contains 0.51 grams of protein, 0.208 mg of fat, 816 mg of vitamin C, 1720 mg of calcium, 0.818 mg of iron, 0.11 mg of carotene, and various amino acids. Regional product traits: As a variety of Sanhua Plum, the Kylin Plum has been introduced to many locations both within and outside the county over the past decade. However, due to differences in climate and soil composition, other regions’ varieties lack the unique qualities of those grown at the Yulao Qilin Mountain base—typically sour rather than sweet, dull-colored with thick skins, and not easy to separate from the pit. Production and processing: The Kylin Plum is generally considered an excellent gift item, and fresh fruit is in long-term high demand. It has not yet entered the processing stage.

　　  The Fengkai Kylin Plum was first introduced in 1973 by the Yulao Brigade of Yulao Commune, Fengkai County, from Sanhua Plum in Wengyuan County. By 1975, it was self-propagated and cultivated, expanding from the original 20-plus acres to over 200 acres. In 2000, after the establishment of Fengkai County’s first fruit industry company—the Fengkai Qilinshan Fruit Company—comprehensive efforts were made to develop the Kylin Plum. From purification and rejuvenation to breeding high-quality seedlings and establishing production demonstration bases, the company provided a full range of pre-production, mid-production, and post-production services, ushering the Kylin Plum into a phase of rapid development. In 2001, the total cultivation area of Kylin Plum in the county exceeded 10,000 acres, with just the Yulao Qilin Mountain production base covering over 3,800 acres. By 2015, the total cultivation area had reached over 33,000 acres. Brand culture: From its introduction until 1999, the Kylin Plum was still referred to as Jimi Plum or Sanhua Plum, and its price remained low, at only about 2 yuan per kilogram. Later, the Fengkai Qilinshan Fruit Company discovered during production and operations that the fruit grown on Qilin Mountain, due to its unique climate and soil, had exceptionally high quality—qualities not found elsewhere. Years of investigation and analysis concluded that the area lies within the Tropic of Cancer, with large day-night temperature variations that aid nutrient accumulation. The region features granite weathering layers with gravelly loam soil that absorbs nutrients quickly and is rich in mineral elements, resulting in sweet and crisp fruit. As a result, the fruit company heavily invested in developing the natural resources of Qilin Mountain and building its brand. In 2000, Yulao Jimi Plum was registered as Kylin Plum. Through continuous production and marketing efforts, its visibility and reputation grew. Since then, the saying “Once you taste it, nothing else compares—only the Kylin Plum will do” has gained fame both within and beyond the province. According to the Fengkai County Annals: in ancient times, the top scholar of Lingnan, Mo Xuanqing, loved Kylin Plums as a child while studying in a house “nestled by the Kylin.” He later became the top scholar of Lingnan. Locally, climbing Qilin Mountain to pray for good fortune and tasting Kylin Plums for longevity and wisdom is both a tradition and a trend.

　　  As the “King of Summer Fruits” in Lingnan, the Kylin Plum is known as a “treasure among fruits and the king of plums.” It is highly adaptable and bears fruit early. It can be planted in sunny, nutrient-rich gravelly loam soil. It enters peak production five years after planting, with individual trees yielding up to 200 pounds. As a deciduous fruit tree, it flowers easily and has a high fruit-setting rate. Management efforts focus mainly on the first half of the year, making the Kylin Plum easy to grow and manage with low costs. Cultivating Kylin Plums makes full use of local mountainous land and labor resources while enriching the summer fruit market. Local farmers in Fengkai have over 40 years of experience in growing Kylin Plums. Especially after the establishment of the Fengkai Qilinshan Fruit Company, under the guidance of technical departments such as the Fengkai County Fruit Tree Research Institute, standardized practices were implemented across the county—from site selection, orchard establishment, seedling propagation to planting and management. On one hand, technical departments improved product quality through purification and rejuvenation. On the other hand, they optimized the breeding of Kylin Plum seedlings for farmers. Furthermore, the production management followed the “Five Unifications”: unified planning, unified development, unified variety, unified technology, and unified packaging and sales. Technical materials and training were provided to all labor forces in the Kylin Plum production areas throughout the year. These diverse measures achieved the goals of increasing both the yield and quality of Kylin Plums in Fengkai.