Phenols are strong antioxidants, and the type in wild beach plums is particularly good at protecting the fats in our cell membranes and brain, as well the fats circulating in our bloodstream. Making them our very own, very local superfood. Enjoy them right off the bush, make into a jam or jelly, or get creative!
Where can I find beach plums?
Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
Beach plums were once a common sight along barrier beaches and coastal regions from the mid-Atlantic states to the maritime provinces of Canada. Beach plums thrive in dry and sandy or gravelly soil. Beach plums are easily grown from fresh seed collected when the fruit is ripe.
What flavor is beach plum?
Beach Plums taste like a mix of strawberry, plum, and apricot with a tart skin. In fact, making beach plum jelly is a cultural past-time of the NJ shore.
What is a sea plum?
The Sea Plum is a hybrid of the Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera) and the Pigeon Plum (Coccoloba diversifolia), thought to have naturally occured. It is said to grow 6-8 feet in height, but with its parents growing upwards of 30 feet high, Sea Plum could vary well grow just as large.
Can you eat raw beach plums?
Beach plums have a flavor that ranges from astringent when picked early to relatively sweet when ripe. They’re rarely eaten raw, but their tartness gives jams, jellies and other products a distinctive flavor.
Are beach plums toxic?
Warning: The partially wilted foliage contains hydrocyanic acid, which has been known to kill livestock that have browsed upon it. The seeds of all Prunus species, found inside the fruits, contain poisonous substances and should never be eaten.
Do you need two beach plum trees?
A. Beach plum (Prunus maritima) does not come in male and female, but the plants cannot fertilize themselves, so you still need two for cross-pollination. And you would be better off with more, to increase your chances of getting good ones.
Do beach plums need full sun?
Plant the Beach Plum in a bright, sunny location with good drainage. They thrive in full sun with a sandy or loamy soil. Their preference is for a slightly acid soil with a pH between 6 and 7.
How do you grow a beach plum tree?
The beach plum can be propagated from seed. Pits are cracked, and seed taken out and stored at 40°F in moist sand or sphagnum moss for two or three months. Without controlled stratification, it may take two years for the seed to germinate. To propagate clones, asexual propagation by root cutting is the usual method.
What flavor is La Croix beach plum?
But there’s a warm, toasty sugar flavor in here, that caramelly sweetness that is super specific to Rum. The fruit flavors in this combo roll like beachy waves between that crisp green apple on the nose to ripe pineapple. Plum is one of those fruits that varies wildly in terms of expression for us.
Is Beach Plum Lacroix seasonal?
Beach Plum, Black Razzberry and Guava São Paulo are launching at select retailers around the country and will be available nationwide this spring.
What does a ripe Beach Plum look like?
The prolific fruits are rather small, usually less than an inch long, and range in colors of red, pink, green, yellow, blue and purple. The fruit ripens in early September and is tart but seldom eaten fresh the way most plums are eaten. Actually, the ripe flesh is sweet and just the skin is bitter.
What is a beach plum tree?
Beach plum shrubs are beautiful. They are tough plants and they produce delicious fruit. These shrubs, with their showy white blossoms and vibrantly coloured fruit (in shades of blue, purple, crimson and yellow) were once prolific in coastal areas of the US and Canada.
Is a beach plum a rose?
Beach Plum is one of the common names for Prunus maritima, a plum native to coastal regions of northeastern North America. Both are in the rose family, Rosaceae, so the flowers have a similar structure.
Are beach plums acidic?
They are quite acid with a crisp, tart, juicy flesh and cherry-like pit, and can be substituted for cherries or plums in recipes.
Do deer eat beach plums?
The plums are also sought out and eaten by various wildlife species, including grouse, squirrels, deer, foxes, coyotes, opossums, raccoons, and black bears.
How big do beach plums get?
General: Beach plum is a native, flowering, often multi-stemmed shrub which typically grows in a low spreading manner to form dense thickets 3-8 ft tall (Silberhorn, 1999). Outside of its natural dune habitat and under ideal conditions, a well-cared for beach plum shrub may reach heights of up to 18 ft (Miller, 2002).
Can you freeze beach plums?
Beach plums freeze well, so there is no pressure to use them right away. Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Place in an airtight bag and store in the freezer for later use.
