Beach Plum

Growing

When establishing this native shrub, avoid starting from seed. Use one-year-old bare-root or containerized stock, as these young plants have the root systems needed for transplanting. Install plants in early spring before they break dormancy. For a conservation or hedgerow project, inoculating the roots with arbuscular mycorrhizal and phosphate-solubilizing fungi at planting can boost establishment.

If you are growing for fruit, maintain the shrubs regularly. During the dormant season in late winter or early spring, prune to an open-center form or a central leader. This training improves airflow and light penetration, which helps prevent shot hole disease (a fungal issue that causes brown, scabby lesions on the fruit), and makes harvesting easier by keeping the fruit off the ground. Watch the canopy for pests like the plum curculio or plum gouger, which can cause yield loss.

When the fruit matures in late summer, harvest the plums by hand. The seeds are toxic and should not be consumed, but the flesh is valued for preserves and spirits. A large harvest can be stored in a dry state.