Beach Plum
Prunus maritima
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- Prunus maritima
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 8-12 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr, may, jun
- Bloom Colors:
- White
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), funeral dagger moth (Acronicta funeralis), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), hibiscus Quaker (Orthosia hibisci), Interrupted Dagger Moth (Acronicta interrupta), Io moth (Automeris io), lilac sphinx (Sphinx kalmiae), Lunate zale moth (Zale lunifera), Peach tree borer (Synanthedon exitiosa), 🛑Precious Underwing (Catocala pretiosa), Spotted Apatelodes (Apatelodes torrefacta), Ultronia underwing (Catocala ultronia), Wild Cherry Sphinx (Sphinx drupiferarum)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus), Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus), Horace's Duskywing (Gesta Evans), Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon), Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to coastal dunes and sandy soils
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Scarify, then cold-moist stratify for 60 days.
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o