I was craving beach plum jam. A few days ago we went searching for wild beach plums on the shores of Cape Cod.  I had never heard of beach plums until I moved here and I was told that they are incredibly difficult to find due to the loss of their natural habitat. Beach plums are indigenous to the coast and were used by the Native Americans. Each year the crops vary. Some years their numbers are fantastic and others years bring very small yields. The wild birds and local animals also love to dine on the plums.

We had been looking for beach plums for a few years. I have to credit my husband with finally finding a clump of them growing in the dunes last week. If you are lucky enough to discover a patch local lore tells you to never divulge their location. I can understand why!

Beach plums thrive in the sandy dunes and love the salty air and sea.  To me they taste like a very tart strawberry peach. They are ready for harvest late August through early September. We quickly gathered a bunch of beach plums in our bag. Then we took them home and cleaned them.

Photo Credits:  Tilly’s Nest