In China, plum blossom is also called “mei”. There are over 300 recorded cultivars of mei, which can be broadly divided by colour into white, pink, red, purple, and light green types. Some varieties are especially famed for their ornamental value, including the Dahong mei (literally "big red mei"), Taige mei (lit. "pavilion mei"), Zhaoshui mei (lit. "reflecting water mei"), Lü'e mei (lit. "green calyx mei"), Longyou mei (lit. "swimming dragon mei").
As the mei can usually grow for a long time, ancient mei trees are found throughout China. Huangmei county (lit. "Yellow Mei") in Hubei features a 1600-year-old mei tree from the Jin Dynasty which is still flowering.

The tree originates from China, and was brought to Korea and Japan later. It is cultivated for its fruit and flowers.