Beach Plum Seedlings (Prunus maritima)

Beach plum is a small native shrubbing plum that reaches heights from 6-10’ tall and often spreading by suckers to form thickets. It is used to growing directly in sand dunes along the east coast and can tolerate very harsh, dry conditions. While it naturally grows in sandy soils, it is a very tough and adaptable plant and can tolerate heavier clay soils so long as they are able to drain. We have several plantings on mounds in our very heavy clay and they seem to be doing just fine! The beach plum’s ability to tolerate salt makes it a great choice for roadside plantings, where the soil is often exposed, dry and salty. Seedlings show a great deal of variety in fruit size, color and taste, but the fruit is often very tasty and is excellent for jams, jellies and preserves. It is also a wonderful wildlife plant offering pollinator support via abundant white blossoms in the spring, a late summer food source and winter cover for small birds and mammals. Hardy to zone 4 at least.

Prunus species cannot be shipped to Colorado.