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''Prunus maritima'', the beach plum, is a species of plum native to the East Coast of the United States, from Maine south to Maryland.〔Germplasm Resources Information Network: (''Prunus maritima'' )〕〔United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile: (''Prunus maritima'' )〕 Although sometimes listed as extending to New Brunswick, the species is not known from collections there, and does not appear in the most authoritative works on the flora of that Canadian province.〔Hinds, Harold R., 2002, ''Flora of New Brunswick'', 2nd ed., Fredericton, New Brunswick.〕 ''Prunus maritima'' is a deciduous shrub, in its natural sand dune habitat growing 1–2 m (40–80 inches) high, although it can grow larger, up to 4 m (160 inches or over 13 feet) tall, when cultivated in gardens. The leaves are alternate, elliptical, 3–7 cm (1.2–2.8 inches) long and 2–4 cm (0.8–1.6 inches) broad, with a sharply toothed margin. They are green on top and pale below, becoming showy red or orange in the autumn. The flowers are 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 inches) in diameter, with five white petals and large yellow anthers. The fruit is an edible drupe 1.5–2 cm (0.6–0.8 inches) in diameter in the wild plant, red, yellow, blue, or nearly black.〔Maine Department of Conservation Natural Areas Program: (''Prunus maritima'' (pdf file) )〕〔Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.〕 A plant with rounded leaves, of which only a single specimen has ever been found in the wild, has been described as ''Prunus maritima'' var. ''gravesii'' (Small) G.J.Anderson,〔Center for Plant Conservation: (''Prunus maritima'' var. ''gravesii'' )〕 though its taxonomic status is questionable, and it may be better considered a cultivar ''Prunus maritima'' 'Gravesii'.〔University of Connecticut: (''Prunus maritima'' 'Gravesii' )〕 The original plant, found in Connecticut, died in the wild in about 2000, but it is maintained in cultivation from rooted cuttings.〔 The plant is salt-tolerant and cold-hardy. It prefers the full sun and well-drained soil. It spreads roots by putting out suckers but in coarse soil puts down a tap root. In dunes it is often partly buried in drifting sand. It blooms in mid-May and June. The fruit ripens in August and early September. The species is endangered in Maine, where it is in serious decline due to commercial development of its beach habitats.〔 ==Cultivation and uses== The species is grown commercially for its fruit to a small extent, used to make jam.〔Cornell University Department of Horticulture: (Beach Plum )〕 It can be eaten out of hand and usually is a sweet snack although it is much smaller in size when compared to the longer cultivated Asian varieties found in the supermarket. A number of cultivars have been selected for larger and better flavored fruit, including 'Resigno', 'Eastham', 'Oceanview', 'Hancock' and 'Squibnocket'.〔University of Connecticut: (''Prunus maritima'' )〕 Natali Vineyards in Goshen, New Jersey produces a wine from beach plums.〔Preston, Marjorie. ("To save coastal dunes, here’s a plum good idea" ) in ''Shore News Today'' (20 October 2010). Retrieved 5 May 2013.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Prunus maritima」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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