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Wild beach plum, ‘on
the edge,’ in the harsh coastal environment of Montauk
Point State Park, New York. |
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Geographic Range: Northeastern U.S.
Introduction
Beach plum (Prunus maritima Marsh) is one of several shrubby
plums native to North America. It produces small, distinctively
flavored fruit that are collected from the wild along the Northeast
coastline for small-scale jam production in home and commercial
kitchens. The jams command premium prices at farm stands and specialty
markets, even in comparison with jam made from other locally grown
fruit. However, the wild-collected supply of fruit does not meet
this niche market’s demand.
Beach plum naturally occurs on sandy, excessively drained, nutrient-poor
sites. This habitat strongly suggests that beach plum has untapped
potential as a low-input crop for marginal land. Under seaside conditions,
the plant grows very slowly and does not bear fruit every year.
However, the beach plum is not limited to sandy soil; it may be
planted in any fertile, well-drained soil. Full sun is required
for fruit production.
The market for many commodity crops has such low margin that growers
struggle to stay profitable, especially in the urbanized Northeastern
US. Some believe that the future of agriculture in this region lies
in high-value, niche market crops, especially those with underserved
regional markets, and the potential for value-added processing.
The existing high value of beach plum products suggests economic
sustainability, even at small scale.
Current demand for the fruit exceeds supply by a large margin,
due in no small degree to the dwindling number of accessible natural
stands and collectors willing to pick. Prior to our work,, cultural
guidelines for beach plum production were not available. Improved
selections have not been systematically tested and are not available
in the nursery trade. Production of beach plum to supply a limited
high-value niche market may be a viable component of a diversified
farm operation. However, future profitability of large-scale production
to accommodate the expansion of the market, as with any entrepreneurial
venture, remains to be seen.
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