BEACH BERRIES growing in a desert? only where they want, magical fireworks ...

The Shore resembles a Desert in some ways,
shore bushes have to be thrifty in water requirements and resistant to wind, salt spray and drought.

Common along the barrier beaches are Bayberry, Wild Blackberry and Beach Plum.

They thrive and produce berries for the birds and the lucky people who can get to them. 

Blackberries grow wild in tangles on the barrier beach. 
Small berries, at first they are red and toward the end of July they turn a shiny black.  
A very thorny, low rambling bush retrieving the berries is a prickly situation.
Wild black berries are tasty and can be used in any recipe intended for blueberries.

Beach Plums, prunus maritima, are related to the cherry family.
The leaves of the shrub are grayish green and, in the spring, small white flowers are clustered on dark brown branches.
The fruit, when ripe, is a light purple color.
Maturing in September, the “plums” are about the size of a playing marble. 
Beach plums can be used to make jams and jellies.

Bayberries, myrica pennsylvanica, are in the same family as myrtle trees, these aromatic shrubs are characterized by naked flowers.
Their small nuts are covered with a grayish wax, and green oblong leaves which are sprinkled with resinous dots.
Boiling the nuts, called berries, yields a tallow with a distinctive aromatic odor which can be used in making candles or soap. 
Unfortunately it takes about three quarts of berries, each of which is bebe sized, to make one candle.

The Bayberrie's berries are not to eat.
The leaves of the bayberry shrub are sometimes used as a flavoring, although they are not the “bay leaf” called for in most recipes. 

Most barrier beach people have found that “beach berry” shrubs are better allowed to spread and propagate on their own in the wild. 
As profuse as they seem, transplanting and cultivating is often “easier said than done”. 

Many people are concerned about the hazard of spreading fire and keep Bayberry shrubs away from structures.
The berries actually explode and shoot off in all directions when burning.

COOL BERRY THINGS

BEACH PLUM JAM

2 quarts beach plums (some green)
2 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups sugar

Cook beach plums in water until they pop and become mushy.
Strain through a food mill or coarse strainer.
You should have 3 1/2 cups of thick juice, now add 3 1/2 cups (an equal amount) of sugar.
In a large pan bring the mixture to a hearty boil for one minute.
Remove from heat, skim foam and pour liquid into jelly jars.
Cover at once with paraffin.

The above basic jam recipe will work for all edible beach fruit.
Some fruits, like rose hips, will require more sugar for some tastes.
Using a fine strainer with a cheese cloth will produce a clearer jelly instead of a pulpy jam.

PICKLED BEACH PLUMS

Wash 1 pound beach plums, cover with 1 cup of water and boil for 10 minutes and then drain. 
Combine 1 cup each vinegar, water and granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon each ground cloves and cinnamon.
Boil mixture for 1 minute and add hot mixture to drained plums, cool and refrigerate.

IRON GLIDER BAYBERRY BAG

Make a cloth bag and fill it with bayberries, like a bean bag. 
When your iron is sticky, heat it and run it over the bayberry bag.  
This will make your Iron glide easily.

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PLEASE!
Preserve and Protect our Beaches.

Thanks to Sallie Phillips, 3 / 1999

@ 2006 Save the Beaches Fund, Inc.

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