楊梅屬常綠喬木，原產亞洲東部溫帶及亞熱帶地區。樹高可達20m以上，主幹挺直，樹皮灰褐色。互生倒卵形或倒披針形葉片常聚生於枝端，葉長5~15cm，葉寬2~3cm。葉面光亮，葉緣上部有鋸齒。雌雄異株。雄株單生或叢生葇荑花序自葉腋伸出，長5~10cm，紅色；雌株穗狀花序單生於葉腋，長0.5~1.5cm，有紅色花柱。雌、雄花皆微小，直徑約0.3cm。淺紅色至紫紅色核果球形，直徑1.5~3cm，外表密佈囊狀體。開花期春季，結果期夏季。

An evergreen tree in the genus Myrica, native to temperate and subtropical zones of eastern Asia. Tree height more than 20 m, trunk erect, and bark gray-brown. Leaves alternate, shaped obovate or oblanceolate, often clustered at the branch end, blade 5-15 cm long and 2-3 cm wide; glossy above, with serrated margin on the upper part. Dioecious. Solitary or tufted male catkins protruding from the leaf axils, 5-10 cm long, red; female spikes solitary at the leaf axil, 0.5-1.5 cm long with red styles. Flowers tiny, about 0.3 cm across. Fruits are spherical drupes, pale red to purplish red, 1.5-3 cm across, densely covered with knobs. Flowering in spring and fruiting in summer.

適合全日照或半日照溫暖環境。土壤須排水良好，酸鹼值中性至酸性。耐乾旱。根系有菌根菌共生，能製造養分。繁殖採用播種、空中壓條及嫁接法。

It suitably grows in a warm environment with full sun or partial sun and prefers the soils with a neutral to acidic pH and good drainage. Drought-tolerant to drought. The root system has symbiotic mycorrhiza fungi which can produce nutrients. Propagated by seeds, air layering and grafting.

枝葉緻密、果實美觀，很適合作為庭園樹與行道樹使用。果實是夏季應時果品，可鮮食或製作蜜餞、果醬、釀酒，亦是重要的誘鳥植物。樹皮富含單寧，可製藥材。木材質地緻密堅實，昔時作農具柄及各種器具。

Valued for the dense crown and lovely fruits, it’s suitable for the use as garden trees and street trees. This summer-abundant fruits can be eaten fresh or made into candied fruit, jam, and wine. It’s also an important bird-alluring plant. The bark is rich in tannins and can be used as medicine. The hard and dense wood was used to male agricultural tool handles and various crafts.