Prunus maritima
 |
 |
Photo Courtesy Renee Brecht |
Britton & Brown |
| Botanical name: | Prunus maritima |
| Common name: | beach plum |
| Group: | dicot |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Growth type: | forb/herb |
| Duration: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Plant height: | to 6' |
| Foliage: | alternate leaves; simple, deciduous, 2-3" long, serrated margin |
| Flower: | white, 5 petals, 1/2" across |
| Flowering time: | late April, May; fruits in September, dull purple, edible drupe |
| Habitat: | Sandy ground of dunes, beaches, tidewater streamsides |
| Range in New Jersey: | throughout the coast strip of the Coastal Plain and up tidal streams into the Pine Barrens, north to Middlesex and Somerset counties; old record from Camden County |
| Heritage ranking, if any: | n/a |
| Distribution: |  |
| Misc. | Somewhat salt tolerant. Fruits
sometimes used to make beach plum jam, or in pies, or eaten fresh. The
seeds and leaves should not be eaten as they may contain hydrogen
cyanide. The leaves render a green dye, and the fruit yields a dark gray to green dye. With alum mordant, it will yield a yellow dye. |