Wild Plum: Not Only a Delicious Fruit — Discover Nature’s Multi-Tasking Healer From Bloom to Bark
Wild plum isn’t just a fruit tree—it’s a time-tested herbal remedy with powerful benefits packed into its flowers, leaves, and inner bark. Traditionally used to support the kidneys and soothe sore throats, wild plum is a versatile herb with delicious fruit to boot! As a natural diuretic, it helps flush the urinary tract, making it especially helpful for UTIs and kidney stones. Infused in hot water, its petals and leaves become a comforting cold remedy, rich in antioxidants that support the immune system. Plus, thanks to its gentle astringent properties, wild plum is also a practical ally for healing wounds, calming diarrhea, and easing hemorrhoids. Whether sipped, steeped, or applied topically, this plant brings a dynamic range of healing benefits from bloom to bark.
Basic Identification
Wild plum trees are relatively small and only grow up to fifteen feet tall. The branches are often thorny and the leaves are oval-shaped, with the upper portion darker than the underside. In the spring, the tree produces lovely white flowers with five petals, which grow into small, round purplish fruits in the summer and autumn months.
Where Does It Grow?
You can find wild plum growing across central and eastern areas of North America. They are tolerant of a wide variety of soils and spread throughout fields, disturbed areas, and the edge of the woods.
Edible Uses
The fruit is delicious and can be enjoyed on its own or in recipes. It makes fantastic fruit leather!
Harvesting
For the inner bark, harvest in the autumn. Spring is the best time to gather the blossoms and leaves, the latter can also be harvested in the summer months.
Recipe: Wild Plum Tincture
To begin, gather one cup of plant material using equal parts flowers, leaves, and inner bark. You’ll also need enough 80-proof (or higher) alcohol to fully cover the mixture in a glass jar.
Fill the jar with the plant blend and pour in the alcohol until the herbs are completely submerged. Seal the jar with a lid and store it in a cool, dark place for 4 to 6 weeks. Shake the jar once daily to help the extraction process.
After the infusion period, strain the liquid through a fine cloth or mesh strainer and transfer it into a dropper bottle. Be sure to label it with the plant name and the date it was made.
Use 1–2 droppers full as needed to support the body’s natural release of excess water, ease hemorrhoids, or calm diarrhea. It can also be diluted in water for a gargle to help soothe a sore throat.
Medicinal Uses
The flowers, leaves, and inner bark all have medicinal properties. Traditional uses include stimulating the kidneys and bladder as a diuretic, along with treating sore throats and the common cold, and more.
Here are my top 3 uses for wild plum:
Diuretic, urinary tract infections, kidney stones. When used together, the flowers, leaves, and inner bark have diuretic properties, which help to stimulate the body to flush out the bladder and kidneys to address urinary tract infections and kidney stones.
Remedy for the common cold. When infused in hot water, the petals and leaves make an excellent remedy for colds. They are rich in immune-boosting antioxidants and vitamins to help shorten the length of illness. For an added level of support for a cold or influenza, see our convenient elderberry tincture in the apothecary.
Wounds, diarrhea, and hemorrhoids. The inner bark, leaves, and blossoms have gentle astringent properties that are useful for soothing sore throats and diarrhea, whereas a topical wash is helpful for hemorrhoids and wounds.
Deepen Your Knowledge of Herbal Medicine
But that’s not all. The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies II contains hundreds of plant profiles that include identification, uses, harvesting advice, and high-quality photographs. Simple recipes for a wide range of remedies are also covered. The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies II completes the first book, you’ll find only new plants and very different remedies.
Take Charge of Your Health & Self-Sufficiency
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Nicole Apelian
Nicole’s Apothecary Products in this Post
Dual-Extracted Elderberry Tincture
