Beach plum
Prunus maritima
Salt and sand don't bother it; the plums make classic Cape Cod jam.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 7
Light: full sun
Size: about 8 ft tall, 8 ft wide
Harvest: August to September
From: Atlantic coast
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, pollinators, wildlife.
Native to: Northeast. Hardy in zones 3 to 7.
The story
Beach plums grow on the dunes from Maine to Delaware and were gathered by Wampanoag and Lenape families; Henry Hudson's crew noted them in 1609 and Cape Cod has made the jam for 300 years. The crop is famously unreliable, which makes a good year an event.
Planting
Full sun and sand or sandy loam; it takes salt spray and drought and hates wet clay. Plant two seedlings for pollination, 6 feet apart.
Growing
Water the first year only. Prune lightly to shape; it grows as a 6-foot mound. No feeding.
Harvest and use
Fruit ripens purple-red in late summer, tart and tannic raw; cook for jam and jelly. Yields vary wildly year to year.
What to watch for
Brown rot, plum curculio, and black knot; sandy soil keeps most of it at bay.
See if Beach plum fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home