Mexican plum (jocote): what it is, taste and how to eat it

What is it?

The Mexican plum, also known as jocote in Central America and as ciruela roja, ciruela costeña or jobo in different regions, is one of the most characteristic fruits of the Mexican Pacific and of Mesoamerica: an oval drupe of three to five centimetres in length, with a thin skin that changes from green to yellow, red or intense purple as it ripens, juicy yellow-orange pulp, slightly fibrous, and a large hard central seed. There are sour varieties (eaten green) and sweet ones (eaten ripe), each with distinct flavour profiles: the green ones are acidic and crunchy, ideal for snacks with salt, lime and chilli; the ripe ones are sweet and aromatic, with a flavour reminiscent of mango with a touch of European plum. It is harvested from May to September and is a key ingredient in aguas frescas, ice creams, jams, sauces for meats, preserves and traditional drinks such as atole and plum water. Despite its 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 are documented from pre-Hispanic times. The Nahuatl name is xocotl, a word meaning sour fruit that gives rise to the term jocote used in Central America and to the suffix of many Mexican place names such as Xochimilco (where flowers are grown) and Xocoyotzin (the youngest in the Nahua language). Sahagún in the Florentine Codex and Francisco Hernández in his Historia natural de la Nueva España, both from the sixteenth century, document at length the different varieties of jocotes and Mexican plums, attributing food and ritual uses to them. It belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, the same as the mango, the cashew, the pistachio and the sumac, making it a botanical relative of other famous tropical fruits. After the conquest, the Spanish called the fruit 'ciruela' (plum) because of its shape similar to that of the European Prunus, but the tree and the fruit are botanically distinct. The Mexican plum spread through the Caribbean, parts of South America and, later, through tropical Africa and Asia. The main producing regions of Mexico are Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacán, Morelos, Sinaloa and Jalisco, with production concentrated on the Pacific slope. 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 Anacardiaceae family that can reach ten metres in height, with greyish bark, compound leaves and small red-pink flowers that appear before the leaves (flowering ahead of foliage). It grows well in dry tropical and subtropical climates, in poor soils and 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, ciruela costeña, ciruela campechana and ciruela sanchina, each with distinct profiles of size, colour and flavour. The pulp contains vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium, dietary fibre, carotenes and antioxidants; the seeds are not eaten. The green fruits (green jocotes) have a sour, crunchy flavour; they are eaten as a snack with salt, lime and chilli powder, or prepared as pickles. The ripe fruits are sweet and aromatic; they are eaten fresh, in aguas frescas (blended with water and sugar), ice creams, ice lollies, jams, jellies, sweet-and-sour sauces for meats (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 among the most resistant to climate change in dry tropical regions, which positions it as a promising crop.

Cultural significance

The Mexican plum is biocultural heritage of the Mexican Pacific and an emblem of the traditional cuisines of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacán, Morelos and Sinaloa, as well as of Central America where it is known as jocote. It is the star of regional festivities and fruit fairs, such as those held in Guerrero towns during the harvest season in August–September. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on the UNESCO 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 supports rural producers in semi-dry tropical areas where it is one of the few fruit trees that thrives, especially in family backyard systems and living fences. SADER (gob.mx) highlights the potential of Spondias purpurea as a crop for food security and adaptation to climate change in dry tropical regions. In Central America, the trade in green jocotes for snacks 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 meats, sorbets, signature jams and modern desserts, reclaiming a fruit that for a long time was considered rural and of little prestige.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Mexican plum and European plum?

Despite their shared common name, they are botanically distinct. The Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea, Anacardiaceae family) is a relative of the mango and the cashew. The European plum (Prunus domestica, Rosaceae family) is a relative of the peach, the cherry and the 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, fragrant. The ripe texture is juicy but slightly fibrous, with the pulp clinging to the large hard central seed. Some purple varieties have more wine-like, 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 as pickles. Ripe, it is eaten fresh, in aguas frescas (blended with water and sugar), ice creams, ice 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 does the Mexican plum come from?

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