Wild Plums
(Prunus Americana)
I recently had the opportunity to once again pick wild plums from our pasture. I had missed doing that for a number of years because so many of the wild plum thickets have been destroyed by clearing and herbicides. I'm happy to say that not only are the wild plums returning, but so are the persimmons and wild blackberrys.
The native American people ate wild plums fresh, and also dried them for use later on. The Omaha tribe often scraped and boiled the bark of the roots to use on abrasions. Twigs can be bound together to make brooms. Crushed fruits mixed with salt, was often used by the Cheyenne to treat diseases of the mouth, while the Mesquakies used root bark to treat canker sores. The bark and roots contain a agent which is active against gram positive and negative bacteria.
A variety of things can be done with plums, including making jams, canning, drying, making wine, and probably the most popular, making jelly.
Picking plums is hot, scratchy work, but very rewarding! I hope this fall I will be able to transplant some small ones to areas closer to our house. They provide a good food resource not only for people, but for the wildlife as well. Once a thicket gets going, it makes a nice privacy screen or windbreak, and they work very well for erosion control. They are a very drought resistant plant, and do well in a wide variety of conditions. Be aware however, they can get a little out of control.
There are actually many varieties of wild plums in the United States, but only one that I've found locally. Size can vary from thicket to thicket. Some I picked were about the size of cherries, while others nearly doubled that size just a short walk away. It's a challenge picking as when ripe, they easily drop off the bush. I lost a lot of them when I reached to grab, and brushed against them instead, which promptly resulted in an oops, there they went!
Plum bushes can be grown from seeds, or smaller ones can be transplanted. If you decide to plant the seeds, a good way to do that is to plant them in the fall, then let nature take over from there, they need cold to germinate. For a real challenge, you may try propagating them from cuttings, but this is more difficult. In the spring, they will adorn the landscape with a multitude of beautiful white flowers. Fruits ripen in the summer, and ripening times will vary.
Here are some wild plum recipes from the Kiowa Conservation District. - Recipes
Wild plums are something for gardeners to think about, and the jelly is scrumptious! Below are some photos from my recent picking and jelly making. I found a couple of handfuls of wild blackberries too!
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