Although it takes seven years for newly planted plum trees to reach maturity and bear fruit, they are easily cared for, don't need much fertilizer, and are disease resistant. Since plum trees were introduced to Taiwan in 1956, Nantou County has become the center of cultivation on the island.
對梅農而言，這是一項長期投資，不能馬上獲得「成果」；但梅子的樹齡長，成樹後需肥量較其他果樹少，且病蟲害亦少，毋須特別管理，雖然資本回收較慢，農民仍能賺取極高利潤。