Plum vs. Prune — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 14, 2023
A plum is a juicy, fresh fruit, while a prune is a dried version of specific plum varieties, often consumed for its digestive benefits.
Difference Between Plum and Prune
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A plum is a stone fruit, part of the genus Prunus, which encompasses various species and varieties that differ in color, taste, and size. A prune, conversely, refers to the dried version of certain plum varieties, which shrinks as it loses water content during the drying process.
The primary appeal of the plum lies in its juicy, sweet-to-tart flavor, and it's enjoyed worldwide as a fresh fruit. On the other hand, the prune, given its concentrated nature, offers a richer taste and chewy texture and is often associated with health and dietary benefits.
One significant health benefit attributed to prunes is their natural laxative effect, aiding in digestion and relieving constipation. While plums also provide dietary fiber and various nutrients, prunes typically contain higher concentrations of these due to the drying process.
Plums can be found in various culinary applications, from desserts to savory dishes. Prunes are versatile too, appearing in everything from baked goods to stews. Still, they are most popularly consumed as a snack or health supplement.
In terms of availability, plums are generally seasonal, with peak times varying based on the variety and region. Prunes, given their dried nature, can be found year-round and have a longer shelf life compared to fresh plums.
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Comparison Chart
Nature
Fresh fruit
Dried fruit
Taste & Texture
Juicy, sweet-to-tart
Chewy, rich
Health Benefits
Provides dietary fiber and nutrients
Known for digestive benefits, especially as a natural laxative
Culinary Use
Used in desserts, jams, and various dishes
Snacks, baked goods, stews
Availability
Seasonal
Available year-round
Compare with Definitions
Plum
A sweet, juicy stone fruit of various colors.
She enjoyed a ripe, red plum as an afternoon snack.
Prune
Prune dried version of specific plum varieties.
She added prunes to her morning oatmeal for extra flavor.
Plum
Often used in jams and pies due to its flavor.
The plum pie was a hit at the summer party.
Prune
Prunehewy in texture with a concentrated sweet taste.
The prune was deliciously rich and chewy.
Plum
A plum is a fruit of some species in Prunus subg. Prunus.
Prune
Prunenown for aiding digestion.
Eating prunes can help relieve constipation.
Plum
Any of several shrubs or small trees of the genus Prunus of the rose family, especially the cultivated species P. domestica and P. salicina, bearing smooth-skinned, fleshy, edible fruit with a single stone.
Prune
Pruneften consumed for its health benefits.
He started eating prunes daily for better digestive health.
Plum
The fruit of any of these trees.
Prune
A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (Prunus domestica). Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes.
Plum
Any of several trees bearing plumlike fruit.
Prune
A plum preserved by drying and having a black, wrinkled appearance.
Plum
The fruit of such a tree.
Prune
An unpleasant or disagreeable person
He was a good leader, but a right miserable old prune
Plum
A raisin, when added to a pudding or cake.
Prune
An instance of trimming a tree, shrub, or bush
They need little care other than an annual prune
Plum
A sugarplum.
Prune
Trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to encourage growth
To limit growth, prune in summer
Now is the time to prune roses
Plum
A dark purple to deep reddish purple.
Prune
The partially dried fruit of any of several varieties of the common plum, Prunus domestica.
Plum
An especially desirable position, assignment, or reward
An ambassadorship granted as a political plum.
Prune
Any kind of plum that can be dried without spoiling.
Plum
Variant of plumb.
Prune
(Slang) An ill-tempered, stupid, or incompetent person.
Plum
Variant of plumb.
Prune
To make a facial expression exhibiting ill temper or disgust
“Their faces prune at the slightest provocation” (James Wolcott).
Plum
The fruit and its tree.
Prune
To cut off or remove dead or living parts or branches of (a plant, for example) to improve shape or growth.
Plum
An edible, fleshy stone fruit of Prunus domestica (European plum), often of a dark red or purple colour.
Prune
To remove or cut out as superfluous.
Plum
A stone-fruit tree which bears this fruit, Prunus domestica.
Prune
To reduce
Prune a budget.
Plum
The edible, fleshy stone fruit of several species resembling the plum, or the tree from which they grow.
Prune
To remove what is superfluous or undesirable.
Plum
A dried grape or raisin, as used in a pudding or cake.
Prune
(obsolete) A plum.
Plum
Extended senses.
Prune
The dried, wrinkled fruit of certain species of plum.
Plum
One hundred thousand pounds; generally a fortune.
Prune
(figurative) Something wrinkly like a prune.
Plum
A desirable or choice thing of its kind; a prize selection; a choice appointment, assignment etc.
The mayor rewarded his cronies with cushy plums, requiring little work for handsome pay.
Prune
(slang) An old woman, especially a wrinkly one.
Plum
A dark bluish-red color/colour, the colour of some plums.
Prune
To become wrinkled like a dried plum, as the fingers and toes do when kept submerged in water.
Plum
A testicle.
Prune
To remove excess material from a tree or shrub; to trim, especially to make more healthy or productive.
A good grape grower will prune the vines once a year.
Plum
A fool, an idiot.
Prune
To cut down or shorten (by the removal of unnecessary material).
To prune a budget, or an essay
Plum
(comparable) Of a dark bluish-red colour.
Prune
To remove unnecessary branches from a tree data structure.
Plum
(not comparable) Choice; especially lavish or preferred.
She landed a plum position as an executive for the firm.
Prune
(obsolete) To preen; to prepare; to dress.
Plum
Plumb
Prune
To lop or cut off the superfluous parts, branches, or shoots of; to clear of useless material; to shape or smooth by trimming; to trim: as, to prune trees; to prune an essay.
Taking into consideration how they [laws] are to be pruned and reformed.
Our delightful taskTo prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers.
Plum
Completely; utterly.
You're going to think I'm plum crazy for this, but I want to adopt all seven kittens.
Prune
To cut off or cut out, as useless parts.
Horace will our superfluous branches prune.
Plum
(mining) To plumb.
Prune
To preen; to prepare; to dress.
His royal birdPrunes the immortal wing and cloys his beak.
Plum
The edible drupaceous fruit of the Prunus domestica, and of several other species of Prunus; also, the tree itself, usually called plum tree.
The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties of plum, of our gardens, although growing into thornless trees, are believed to be varieties of the blackthorn, produced by long cultivation.
Prune
To dress; to prink; -used humorously or in contempt.
Plum
A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.
Prune
A plum; esp., a dried plum, used in cookery; as, French or Turkish prunes; California prunes.
Plum
A handsome fortune or property; formerly, in cant language, the sum of £100,000 sterling; also, the person possessing it.
Prune
Dried plum
Plum
Something likened to a plum in desirableness; a good or choice thing of its kind, as among appointments, positions, parts of a book, etc.; as, the mayor rewarded his cronies with cushy plums, requiring little work for handsome pay
Prune
Cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of;
Dress the plants in the garden
Plum
A color resembling that of a plum; a slightly grayish deep purple, varying somewhat in its red or blue tint.
Prune
Weed out unwanted or unnecessary things;
We had to lose weight, so we cut the sugar from our diet
Plum
Any of several trees producing edible oval smooth-skinned fruit with a single hard stone
Prune
Prunean be rehydrated to use in dishes.
She soaked the prunes overnight to use in her stew.
Plum
Any of numerous varieties of small to medium-sized round or oval smooth-skinned fruit with a single pit
Plum
Exactly;
Fell plumb in the middle of the puddle
Plum
Completely; used as intensifiers;
Clean forgot the appointment
I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out
Plum
Belonging to the genus Prunus.
The garden had several varieties of the plum tree.
Plum
Can be tart or sweet based on its ripeness.
The greenish plum had a hint of tartness.
Plum
A fruit with a central pit.
Be careful when biting into a plum; it has a hard pit inside.
Common Curiosities
Can all plum varieties be turned into prunes?
No, only certain varieties are suitable for producing prunes.
Do plums have the same digestive benefits as prunes?
While plums have dietary fiber, prunes are more commonly associated with digestive benefits.
How long can I store prunes?
Prunes, being dried, have a longer shelf life than fresh plums, especially if stored in cool, dry places.
Is the nutritional content the same for plums and prunes?
Prunes typically have higher concentrations of certain nutrients due to the drying process.
Can I eat prunes without rehydrating them?
Yes, prunes are commonly consumed as-is, straight out of the package.
Do prunes contain seeds or pits?
Most commercially available prunes have had their pits removed.
Why are prunes darker than plums?
The drying process concentrates the fruit's sugars and darkens its color.
Is a prune just a dried plum?
Yes, a prune is a dried version of specific plum varieties.
Are plums good for making jams?
Yes, plums are often used in jams due to their sweet-to-tart flavor.
Why are prunes known as a natural laxative?
Prunes contain dietary fiber and certain compounds that aid in digestion and relieve constipation.
Are there different varieties of plums?
Yes, there are numerous plum varieties, varying in taste, size, and color.
Can I use prunes in cooking?
Absolutely! Prunes can be used in both savory and sweet dishes.
Are prunes considered a dried fruit?
Yes, prunes are classified as a dried fruit.
Can I replace plums with prunes in recipes?
While they have different textures and moisture content, prunes can sometimes be used as a substitute, but adjustments might be necessary.
When is the best season to buy fresh plums?
Plum season varies based on variety and region, but many are available in summer.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
