Finding a Wild Plum Tree: Your Best Bet Is a Backroad Search

You want the wild plum (Prunus americana) your dad made jam from. Nurseries rarely carry it. Your best shot?

Go Old School

1. Drive country roads in April when they bloom (fragrant white flowers).
2. Spot a tree, find the landowner, ask permission to dig a sucker or small tree.
3. Transplant in winter dormancy.

Why It's Worth It

Wild plums make incredible sweet-tart jam. The trees are tough, native, and full of nostalgia. Just don't expect a garden center to have them.