" Virtually all commercial plums are large, juicy Asian varieties or
European types like prunes, greengages and damsons. But there are also
about two dozen native American species, many notable for hardiness and
disease resistance, bearing mostly small, tart and tannic fruit.
"The beach plum, Prunus maritima, was the first of these mentioned by a
European, the explorer Giovanni da Verrazano, on his 1524 visit to the
southern New York area. In 1609 Henry Hudson noted abundant beach plums
at the mouth of his namesake river. Sporadic cultivation began in the
19th century, first for the plant's spectacular white blossoms, and
later, by a few experimenters, for its fruit."