Mexican plum: Pacific jocote and its varieties

What is it?

The Mexican plum, also known as jocote in Central America and as red plum, coastal plum or jobo in different regions, is one of the most characteristic fruits of the Mexican Pacific and of Mesoamerica: an oval drupe three to five centimetres long, with thin skin that changes from green to yellow, red or intense purple on ripening, juicy yellow-orange flesh, slightly fibrous, and a large hard central seed. There are sour varieties (eaten green) and sweet ones (eaten ripe), each with distinct flavour profiles: green ones are acidic and crunchy, ideal as a snack with salt, lime and chilli; ripe ones are sweet and aromatic, with a flavour reminiscent of mango with a hint of European plum. It is harvested from May to September and is a key ingredient in aguas frescas, ice creams, jams, sauces for meat, preserves and traditional drinks such as atole and plum water. Despite the common name, it is not related to the European plum (genus Prunus).

Origin and history

The Mexican plum is native to Mesoamerica, where its cultivation and consumption have been documented since pre-Hispanic times. The Nahuatl name is xocotl, a word meaning sour fruit and the origin of the term jocote used in Central America and of the suffix in many Mexican place names such as Xochimilco (where flowers are grown) and Xocoyotzin (the youngest in the Nahua language). Sahagun in the Florentine Codex and Francisco Hernandez in his Natural History of New Spain, both of the 16th century, extensively document the different varieties of Mexican jocotes and plums, attributing food and ritual uses to them. It belongs to the family Anacardiaceae, the same as mango, cashew, pistachio and sumac, making it a botanical relative of other famous tropical fruits. After the Conquest, the Spaniards called the fruit ciruela because of its similar shape to the European Prunus, but the tree and fruit are botanically distinct. The Mexican plum spread to parts of the Caribbean and South America, and later to tropical Africa and Asia. The main producing regions in Mexico are Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Morelos, Sinaloa and Jalisco, with production concentrated on the Pacific side. CONABIO documents Spondias purpurea as a species of great agroforestry importance in traditional Mesoamerican systems.

Characteristic ingredients

The Mexican plum is Spondias purpurea, a deciduous tree of the family Anacardiaceae that can reach ten metres in height, with greyish bark, compound leaves and small red-pink flowers that appear before the leaves (flowering precedes foliage). It grows well in dry tropical and subtropical climates, in poor soils with little water, which makes it ideal for rural agroforestry systems and living fences. There are many regional varieties: yellow plum, red plum, purple plum, coastal plum, Campeche plum and sanchina plum, each with distinct profiles of size, colour and flavour. The flesh contains vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium, dietary fibre, beta-carotenes and antioxidants; the seeds are not consumed. Green fruits (green jocotes) have an acidic and crunchy flavour; they are eaten as a snack with salt, lime and chilli powder, or prepared in pickles. Ripe fruits are sweet and aromatic; they are eaten fresh, in aguas frescas (blended with water and sugar), ice creams, lollies, jams, jellies, sweet-and-sour sauces for meat (especially duck and pork), preserves in syrup and, in some regions, in atoles. In traditional medicine, the leaves, bark and fruits have been used to treat digestive and respiratory complaints. The tree is one of the most climate-change resistant in dry tropical regions, which positions it as a promising crop.

Cultural significance

The Mexican plum is part of the biocultural heritage of the Mexican Pacific and an emblem of the traditional cuisines of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Morelos and Sinaloa, as well as of Central America where it is known as jocote. It is a protagonist of regional festivities and fruit fairs, such as those held in Guerrero villages during the harvest season in August-September. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes native fruits such as the Mexican plum among its cultural components. Economically, the Mexican plum sustains rural producers in semi-dry tropical zones where it is one of the few fruit trees that thrives, especially in backyard family systems and living fences. SADER (gob.mx) highlights the potential of Spondias purpurea as a food-security crop and one for adaptation to climate change in dry tropical regions. In Central America, the trade in green jocotes for snacking is an important economic activity, with street vendors offering the fruits with salt, lime and chilli in individual bags. Contemporary Mexican cuisine has rediscovered the Mexican plum in gourmet versions: chefs such as Alejandro Ruiz, Margarita Carrillo Arronte and Pablo Salas incorporate it into sauces for meat, sorbets, signature jams and modern desserts, vindicating a fruit that was long considered rural and of little prestige.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Mexican plum and European plum?

Despite sharing a common name, they are botanically distinct. The Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea, family Anacardiaceae) is a relative of mango and cashew. The European plum (Prunus domestica, family Rosaceae) is a relative of peach, cherry and almond. The Mexican plum has a larger seed, a more tropical flavour (reminiscent of mango), and is often eaten green as a snack, which would be unthinkable with the European one.

What does the Mexican plum taste like?

Ripe, it has a sweet, juicy and aromatic flavour, with notes that combine ripe mango, European plum and a citrus-tropical touch. Green, it is acidic, crunchy and refreshing, ideal with salt and chilli. The aroma is intense and very characteristic, perfumed. The ripe texture is juicy but slightly fibrous, with the flesh clinging to the large hard central seed. Some purple varieties have more wine-like and intense notes.

How is the Mexican plum served?

Green it is eaten as a snack with salt, lime and chilli powder, in individual bags or in pickles. Ripe it is eaten fresh, in aguas frescas (blended with water and sugar), ice creams, lollies, jams, sweet-and-sour sauces for meats (especially duck and pork), preserves in syrup and regional atoles. In contemporary cuisine, chefs use it in sorbets, modern sauces, signature desserts and pairings with cheeses.

Where is the Mexican plum originally from?

It is native to Mesoamerica, where its use has been documented since pre-Hispanic times in sources such as Sahagun and Francisco Hernandez. The Nahuatl name is xocotl (sour fruit), which also gives rise to the term jocote used in Central America. Today it is cultivated mainly on the Mexican Pacific side: Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Morelos, Sinaloa and Jalisco. It is also widely cultivated in Central America, the Caribbean and parts of South America.