Plum

Serbian plums are distilled into šljivovica – the national spirit, whose tradition was added to UNESCO’s heritage list in 2022.

A small fruit tree with a broad crown, elliptical toothed leaves and white flowers that open in early spring. The fruits are juicy drupes ranging in colour from yellow to deep blue, covered in a greyish-blue bloom. Plums have been grown since antiquity and are eaten fresh, dried and as plum butter, or distilled into strong brandies. The trees are frost-hardy and grow well in the foothills.

Significance in the country

Serbia is one of the world’s largest plum producers, and almost every village house has a plum orchard beside it. In 2022 the knowledge and customs surrounding the making of šljivovica were inscribed on UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Where it grows

Throughout the country, with most orchards in central and western Serbia – in Šumadija and the Zlatibor, Moravica, Kolubara and Mačva districts.

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