Plums in the New World

American native plums are a mixed collection. Several good varieties of indigenous wild plum, which were eaten by the Indians before the arrival of white men, are still common and are often made into jam or jelly. Along the east coast, the beach plum is predominant. Inland the American wild plum, P. americana, sometimes called ‘sloe’ although the fruit is usually red or yellow, is widespread. In the south-east the chickasaw plum, P. angustifolia, often produces large, red fruit of good flavour. This and the previous species have sometimes been cultivated. In the north the hardy Canadian plum P. nigra is common.