Beach plum (Prunus maritima) is a conspicuous native shrub of coastal plant communities in the northeastern United States because of its prolific bloom in the spring, prized fruit in the autumn, and perseverance in a seemingly hostile environment. The plums are rarely eaten raw, but their tartness gives jam and jelly a distinctive taste. Jelly production from wild beach plum fruit persists as a cultural tradition in coastal communities from Maine to North Carolina. The shrub is also used for dune stabilization, landscape and other
conservation programs.