Beach Plum is grown for its foliage and the structure it brings to a planting. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 7 and shrugs off dry spells. Its late spring flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Beach Plum — the short answer
Beach Plum: grown in zones 3–7, full sun, pH 4.5–7.5.
- USDA zones
- 3–7
- Not verified
- Soil pH
- 4.5–7.5
- FAO ECOCROP
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Frost-kill temp (growing season)
- 23°F
- FAO ECOCROP
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Which pests actually threaten beach plum where you grow?
Japanese beetle is only documented in part of the country, so the answer depends on where you plant. Enter your location and we'll tell you which one reaches your land — and the move that beats it.
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What Beach Plum is
Beach Plum grows as a perennial and reaches around six feet at maturity. It blooms white in late spring.
How to grow Beach Plum
Beach Plum grows in USDA zones 3 through 7. Beach Plum does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
3-7
Not verified
Soil pH
4.5 - 7.5
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Kill Temperature
23°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
FAO ECOCROP
Minimum Growing Temperature
44.6°F
Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.
FAO ECOCROP
Mature Height
6 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant beach plum in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Beach Plum prefers pH 4.5 to 7.5 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water while it roots in
Water deeply while beach plum establishes, letting the soil dry between soakings; once its roots are in, it rides out dry spells on its own.
Keep it in good form
Prune beach plum to shape as it grows; the reward is its foliage and structure, not a harvest, so steady upkeep is the whole job.
Where Beach Plum thrives
Beach Plum is hardy across USDA zones 3 through 7. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 3–7 spans average winter lows from -40°F to 10°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 23 outright and splits 25 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 3–7·Where Beach Plum growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Beach Plum stands, state by state
Beach Plum is rated for zones 3–7 — a cold floor USDA puts at -40 to -30°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 23 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 25 more, and 3 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 3–7
23 states
3 of 23 shown
The line runs through
25 states
- Alaska · zones 1a-9a
- Idaho · zones 3b-8a
- California · zones 4b-11a
3 of 25 shown
Beach Plum’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Beach Plum
Growing guides for beach plum
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — beach plum is toxic to dogs, cats and horses (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Beach Plum is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators.
Your land is one point inside Beach Plum's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Beach Plum will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether beach plum actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Beach Plum
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Beach Plum in my zone?
Beach Plum grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 7. Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Beach Plum?
Most growers plant beach plum after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Beach Plum need?
Beach Plum needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Beach Plum need?
Beach Plum prefers soil pH 4.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Beach Plum attract pollinators?
Yes — beach plum's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Is Beach Plum safe for pets?
Beach Plum is toxic to dogs, cats and horses with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Keep exploring Beach Plum
Beach Plum state by state
Every state beach plum's zone reaches — 15 link straight to that state's beach plum growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.