Prunus Maritima 3Gal

Latin Name: Prunus maritima

Common Name: Beach Plum

Zones: 3–7 (sometimes listed to zone 6b/7)

Height & Spread: 4–8 feet tall, spreading 4–10 feet wide (larger, more tree-like specimens can reach up to 10 feet)

Descriptive Features: A tough, twiggy, multi-stemmed native shrub found along sandy coastal dunes and beaches from Maine to Maryland, prized for its resilience in harsh, exposed seaside conditions as well as its ornamental and culinary value. Forms a dense, spreading, irregularly rounded thicket of grayish, somewhat rough bark and dull green, finely serrated oval leaves. In mid-spring, before or as the leaves emerge, the entire shrub is smothered in a profuse, showy display of small, fragrant, five-petaled white flowers, creating one of the earliest and most abundant native flowering displays of the coastal spring. Flowers give way by late summer to plum-like fruit, typically deep purple to nearly black when ripe (occasionally red or yellow), tart and astringent when eaten fresh but long prized for making jams, jellies, and preserves — a traditional coastal foraging tradition in New England. Requires cross-pollination from a genetically distinct plant to set fruit reliably. Exceptionally well adapted to poor, sandy, well-drained soils and thrives in salt spray and strong coastal winds where few other shrubs survive, making it invaluable for dune stabilization and erosion control. Deer-resistant and a valuable wildlife plant, providing early nectar for bees and other pollinators as well as food and cover for birds and small mammals. Low-maintenance once established, though best sited in full sun with excellent drainage; struggles in heavy, wet, or rich garden soil. An excellent choice for coastal and seaside gardens, dune restoration, naturalized hedges, or wildlife plantings in full sun.