Hovenia dulcis seed
Description:
NAME: Japanese Raisin tree
OTHER COMMON NAMES: Oriental Raisin Tree / Honey Tree
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hovenia Dulcis
COLOR: Cream Colored Flowers / Reddish Brown Fruit
PLANT SEEDS: When soil temp warms to 60 – 70F
BLOOM TIME: Flowers in July
HARVEST: Fruit Sept – Oct
HARDINESS ZONE: 5 – 9
PLANT HEIGHT: 20 – 40′
PLANT SPACING: 30 – 40′
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun – Part Shade
SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average
OTHER: The Japanese Raisin Tree is ornamental & produces edible pear flavored fruit. This Asian native also has traditional medicinal uses. The trees hard wood is used for lots of things from building construction to fine furniture, & burns slowly so is good for fires. Extracts from the plants are also used as a honey substitute used in candies & wine.
Raisin Trees have big glossy leaves that measure up to 6″ long, & large fragrant clusters of flowers. The flowers are replaced by small edible fruit that is also fragrant. While the fruit is small, they are very abundant. The pear flavored fruit can be eaten raw, cooked, or dried. When they are dried, they look like raisins & have a somewhat similar taste.