Wild plums ripening, ready to be gathered soon.
Prunus americana
American plum
EDIBLE fruit
In rustic tarts and barbecue sauces, the native wild plum shines. Its small wild fruits can be transformed into so many delicious sweet and savory dishes in the kitchen.
Wild plum is a large, shrub-like fruiting tree with a rough, spiny, and gray bark. Its leaves are smooth, ovate, alternate, and green. It blooms in late spring with an aromatic, white, five-petal flower that blossoms singly or in clusters. The fruit is smaller than domesticated cultivars; it ripens in late summer. The fruit ranges in color from red to blue-brown, and it has a yellowish dark flesh.
Wild plums ripening, ready to be gathered soon.
Wild plum prefers edges of woodlands and succession forests, prairies, and open fields. Sometimes you can find it integrated into municipal landscaping. In the spring, the trees are identifiable by the dusty, aromatic blossom. Look for the ripe fruit in late summer into October.
Choose ripe plums that are soft to the touch. Harvest on dry, warm summer days, as the warmth of the sun helps sweeten the sugars in the fruit. Harvesting on wet, rainy days will result in a more fragile and less sweet fruit. Process immediately in the kitchen as ripe fruit has a very short shelf life and can mold easily.
The sweet, soft flesh of the wild plum can be enjoyed straight off the tree as a juicy foraging snack. In the kitchen, only the cook’s imagination can limit the use of the wild plum. It can be preserved like any other summer fruit—puree it for fruit leathers, or make it into jams, compotes, or pastry filling. Of course, you could always make wild plum crumbles, wild plum tarts, and wild plum cakes.
Consider featuring this stone fruit as the centerpiece of a meal, sliced raw over fresh local cheeses and drizzled in honey. Dried slices of wild plum can be wrapped in prosciutto, skewered, and grilled or broiled to make a savory appetizer. The wild plum can be a versatile base for a rich barbecue sauce, as it works well with sweet tomato, ancho, or soy-based flavors. For dessert, wild plums can be poached in red wine or glazed with honey and broiled. Serve this treat with fresh yogurt, or homemade ice cream.
While a native species, the wild plum is also a feral cultivar. Gathering the ignored fruit will do little to harm the plant’s future sustainability. As a fruiting tree, American plum is a nice addition to a permaculture garden.