Flower profile

Beach plum

Prunus maritima

Native in the lower 48

Beach plum is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

11states

2of our state lists

4,086U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Delaware, Massachusetts

Quick look

Prunus maritima, the beach plum, is a species of plum native to the East Coast of the United States. It is grown commercially for its fruit and resists certain pests.
From Wikipedia's article Prunus maritima, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Rosaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 11 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Massachusetts and Delaware. ^NatureServe
In Massachusetts, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May. ^iNaturalist
In Delaware, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 12 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 1,665 research-grade sightings of it in Massachusetts, ranking #87 among the 110 flowers on our Massachusetts list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 222 research-grade sightings of it in Delaware, ranking #65 among the 110 flowers on our Delaware list. ^iNaturalist

Beach plum gift ideas

Handmade beach plum gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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Beach plum art print
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Beach plum mug
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Beach plum earrings
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Beach plum sticker
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,101 records)

Bloom time in each of our 2 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Massachusetts	Native	May	1,665
Delaware	Native	April–May	222

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G4 Apparently secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Massachusetts: Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Massachusetts. ^{MESA list}
Delaware: S3, uncommon On Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list): s3, uncommon (informational). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Delaware. ^{DE rare plants 2024}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MD (S1), ME (S1), PA (S1), VA (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 in Delaware. ^NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Cherry” (Prunus spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Stems, leaves, seeds contain cyanide, particularly toxic in the process of wilting: brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting… ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records beach plum in 11 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia.

Massachusetts counties with USDA records: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk.

Delaware counties with USDA records: New Castle, Sussex.

More Massachusetts flowers

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌼 Blooms in MA: May–August

Multiflora rose

Rosa multiflora

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in MA: May–June

Mock strawberry

Potentilla indica

Introduced

🌼 Blooms: March–June

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PRMA2.
iNaturalist, Prunus maritima: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Prunus maritima (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Prunus maritima (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
Photo: Alison Northup via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.