Plum Blossoms in San Francisco The Purple Leaf Plum Tree

What are we hunting today?

Every April we wait for the cherry trees to blossom. Most people overlook the plum blossoms that bloom before spring. They typically bloom around February and March here in San Francisco. With their fruits producing by summer time. During the early spring the grounds are covered with their dainty flowers. Colors of the flowers range from a white to a blush pink. The flower is five pettales with stamens protruding from the center. They are very fragrant as you come close to smell. The pictures that are shown are taken at the end of January just when the trees were beginning to blossom, so many of the trees are bald. This specific tree is identified as the purple leaf plum who’s scientific name is Prunus cistena. It’s a hybrid Prunus tree, consisting of a cross between Prunus cerasifera and Prunus pumila.

I grew up eating the fruits of these plums since my grandparents had a tree in their front yard space. We would harvest the fruit with a special tool which was a long pole with a hook on the end. You would then hook the fruit around the stem and then catch them. Many fell to the ground but as long as the plums weren’t over ripe they would keep their shape. These plums are small, they are less than an inch and are typically mistaken for cherries. These trees can get tall making it hard to harvest without a ladder. The younger trees you can probably get away with picking at the lower branches. But when you live in a city that maintains their trees every so often. The lower branches are cut off leaving the fruit so far away to get without a tool. When they are ripe the fruits are sweet and soft. Since these trees don’t typically get harvested by the citizens, lots of their fruit falls on the ground causing the floors to become sticky and slippery from the rotting fruits. You can also eat the plum blossoms. Most edible fruiting plants have edible flowers. Small note if it smells good it probably tastes good. Always double check what flowers are okay. Just like cherry blossoms you can make dessert with them and turn them into teas. If you would like some ideas on how to eat blossoms, you can read my Cherry Blossom post or my borage post. Each blog has different techniques on how to prepare each blossom. If I have time to harvest I will make a separate blog showcasing what I made with the blossoms.

Always choose flowers that are fresh and don’t have diseases or pest. For peak freshness, pick flowers in the morning after morning dew is gone. If possible make sure if your local area does not use pesticides on the trees. Do not eat the stems, leaves or seeds, they can be dangerous if consumed as they contain cyanide. Happy hunting! Leave a picture or comment of your plum finding.