Plum trees of the Spondias variety are also known as red mombin, purple mombin, hog plum, ciruela, jocote, huesito, and jobito. They ripen to a red and sometimes a yellow color containing one large seed. Spondias are flowering plants in the cashew family that are native to tropical regions of the Americas and can be found from Mexico to Brazil. They are also very common in most of the Caribbean Islands. Spondias is a rapid growing, deciduous trees with a dense and spreading crown and grows up to 25 m tall (82 feet) and up to 60 cm (24 inches) in trunk diameter. The canopy can be sprawling and spread over as much as a 65 foot area if left unchecked. The bark is thick but branches can snap easily. Propagation rate from cuttings are almost universally successful because they have the ability to photosynthesize through the bark which will give you an excellent chance of getting more than one tree from cuttings. In the Islands such as Jamaica where I lived for a number of years, the trees are used as a live edible fence providing both a boundary between properties as well as a delightful fruit/food source for everyone. This is a tree that is very independent and can be grown in all 50 states provided you bring the plants indoors if the temperature will drop below 40 degrees F. Here in Florida my (in the ground) established tree has survived temperatures in the low to mid 30's without any provided protection during colder Florida winters. Of course in Florida these temperatures are typically not sustained for long periods or the tree would no doubt suffer frost damage since it is still considered a tropical/subtropical tree. Newly planted spondias trees grown outdoors (especially in dry climates) should be watered every other day for the first week or two then 1 to 2 times a week for the first couple of months depending on how much rainfall or how dry your location might be. Young trees 1 to 3 years old, once established, should be watered at least once a week if there are 5 or more days of little to no rainfall. Once these trees are over 3 years old they can generally survive semi-drought conditions with very little adverse effects. When the rainy season begins, irrigation can be stopped altogether. Be aware that Spondias are adapted to climates with a seasonal dry period during the year so it is not unusual to see them lose all or most of their leaves. In Florida during the winter they drop all of their leaves then new leaf production begins in the spring with tiny flowers after the rainy season (April showers) announcing the advent of fruit production on the way!! (YAAAYYY!!)Hog plum can grow well in containers provided you give them adequate space for good root development. An 18 to 24" diameter, preferably glazed pot at least 20" in height with good drainage holes is suitable so that you can move your plant indoors if you live in a cold climate. If grown in pots the soil should be lightly soaked (do not over-water as this will cause root rot and kill your tree) such that the top 2 inches of the soil are dry before watering again. If you plan on container growing, depending on how much foliage your plant has, as well as the light it receives where the plant is situated, will dictate how often you will need to water. Hog plum can be eaten fresh off the tree out of hand (often seen in the islands) or they can be juiced, made into desserts, or stewed with sugar and made into jams. The young leaves can be consumed raw or cooked and eaten like a vegetable. I have heard in Jamaica that the young shoots tastes like cassava and can be eaten raw or boiled. The seeds, although hard are supposed to be edible but I have never heard how they can be prepared for anyone else other than livestock (LOL). Unripe fruits can be pickled and used similar to olives. Apparently this tree can also be used as a survival tree. In the absence of fresh water, one can supposedly obtain and drink water from the roots of the tree itself although I have not tried this nor do I recommend anyone do so. The tree is also reputed to have medicinal properties that have been utilized in traditional medicine. Please note that I am not an MD and I am not making any medical claims or recommendations. This information is provided solely for the purpose of education about the cultural use of this plant and the supposed benefits that some people have derived from its medicinal use. Medicinally it has been used for low back pain, rheumatism, digestive tract ailments, angina, sore throat, malarial fever diarrhea, urethritis, stomach pains, colds, dysentery, laryngitis, opthalmia and many other ailments too numerous to mention. Ashes from the roots have even been used in the making of home made soap. The wood has been used to make boxes, posts for fences and even tool handles. This is clearly a very versatile tree that has been used extensively in different cultures and would make an excellent addition to your landscape as a low maintenance fruiting tree. HOPE YOU ORDER SOME CUTTINGS SO YOU CAN ENJOY THIS TREE AS MUCH AS I HAVE!! :)