The cherry plum is a curious thing, the fruits are smaller than a plum, ranging between the size of a cherry to an apricot. They can be yellow, red, purple, or even a light orange color. They have a distinct plum taste, though sweeter.
Cherry plum grows all over the world, it is quite often used for hedging but the cherry plum can grow into a medium sized tree, with a large spread. - There are several old cherry plum trees near my home, and the spread of the branches form a 'tunnel' over the road.
Cherry plum has beautiful white blossom in the early spring, before the leaves are fully developed. The leaves when developed are the same as a plum leaf, but smaller.
Gathering And Storing Cherry Plum
Gather the fruits from late June to September, these can be used as they are, dried, cooked, or preserved in a variety of ways. See this page for some interesting cherry plum recipes and preservation ideas.
Drying Cherry Plum Fruits
Wash fruits, cut in half and remove stone.
Lay the fruit out on a tray with the skin side down
Leave the tray of cherry plums in a sunny window, or dry place until they shrink and become completely dry. (I put mine in my airing cupboard) Check for mould and discard any that aren't drying. The plums should shrink to at least half their size.
Store in a clean, air tight jar
The Benefits Of Cherry Plum
Cherry plum juice softens the skin like a dream, and can be used in many natural beauty preparations, the most simple - using the juice as a toner.
Cherry Plum Remedies
Cooking With Cherry Plums
Cherry plums are one of my favorite things to cook with and preserve. Every year we have an enormous glut of these sweet fruits which I use to make the following things.