Date Plum Persimmon seeds Diospyros lotus

LATIN NAME: DIOSPYROS LOTUS

COMMON NAME: Date Plum, Caucasian Persimmon

The Diospyros lotus, or date plum, is one of the oldest and most interesting of the fruit trees, and its small, sweet, yellow-orange or purple-black fruits and its glossy, dark-green leaves have made it a tree of the warm woodlands and the gardens across the regions of the Eurasia. It grows as a medium-sized, deciduous tree of the ebony family, reaching up to twenty-five metres or more, with the dark-grey, furrowed bark and the spreading, rounded crown bearing alternate, glossy, dark-green, oval leaves which turn yellow in the autumn, and bearing, in the early summer, the small, yellow-green, bell-shaped flowers, followed by the small, round, sweet, yellow-orange or purple-black fruits which ripen in the autumn and are edible when soft. It is a species of the flowering tree, native to the warm woodlands of the Southwest Asia and the Southeast Europe, while it has been cultivated for its fruit for thousands of years and is considered one of the oldest cultivated fruits, and it is known as the date plum or the Caucasian persimmon.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The date plum has a real and distinguished place in research. It has been studied in the horticulture and the fruit science, since the Diospyros lotus is one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees and a useful rootstock for the other persimmons, and the researchers have examined its cultivation, its propagation and its value as a rootstock, while the study of the fruit trees has drawn attention in the international horticultural and agricultural press. The plant has also been studied in the food science and the nutrition, since the date plum produces the small, sweet fruits which are rich in the sugars, the vitamins and the minerals, and the researchers have examined the fruits, their composition and their nutrition, while the study of the ancient fruits has been of continuing interest. The species has also been studied in the botany and the taxonomy, since it is a member of the ebony family and a relative of the persimmons and the ebony, and its relationships, its distribution and its many forms have been examined, while the glossy leaves and the small, sweet fruits of the date plum have been of interest to the botanists and the fruit growers. For a tree of such antiquity, the Diospyros lotus has a rich and distinguished record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

To grow the Date Plum from seed, the date plum is a medium-sized, deciduous tree of the warm woodlands, bearing the glossy, dark-green leaves and the small, sweet, yellow-orange or purple-black fruits in the autumn. Its fruits are a food for the birds and the wildlife, and its spreading, rounded crown gives a fine shade in the garden and the park, while its small, sweet fruits are an ancient and interesting fruit. Its economic value is real: the date plum is prized for its sweet fruit and as a useful rootstock for the other persimmons, and its value has drawn attention in the international horticultural and food press, while the ancient history and the easy cultivation have made it a tree of interest to the fruit growers and the gardeners, and the tree is a fine addition to the orchard, the garden and the park. To raise the date plum, sow the seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a cool, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow the little trees on in the sun.

sow the seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a cool, bright place, keep the young date plum gently watered, and grow the little trees on in the sun.

The Date Plum Persimmon leaves are wide, oval, glossy dark green with a pointed tip which grow up to 4-5 inches in length and are frost tender.It is dioecious with male and female flowers growing on different trees. Male flowers are produced on shoots in groups of up to three, while the female flowers are solitary and hang down in rows, both of which bloom in July. At least both a male and female plant will be required to get seeds. However, the female tree can produce seedless fruits in the absence of a pollinator. The Date Plum Persimmon is a close relative to the persimmon. It is a smaller fruit to about 3/4 inches wide. It bears a globose yellow fruit that turns purple-brown when fully ripe. Like the persimmon, the Date Plum Persimmon loses its astringency when fully ripe. The flesh is then very soft and rich in flavor. The fruit is consumed raw, cooked or dried in which case they have a date like flavor, hence the name date plum. They are also used in making of dried fruit leathers, jams and jellies, sweets, ice-cream and sweet sauces. The fruit pulp freezes well and It can be used to make a brandy.

The date plum tree (Diospyros lotus) was known to the ancient Greeks as 'the fruit of the gods' for its delicious fruit, which have a taste that resembles both plums and dates. Mentioned in Homer's epic poem the Odyssey, it was so delectable that those who ate it forgot about going home and wanted only to eat lotus fruit with the lotus-eaters.

As a member of the family Ebenaceae, the date plum has certain traits in common with the ebony tree (Diospyros ebenum), which is well known for its dark wood. Although the date plum has dark pink or even blackish bark, its wood is not as black or dense as true ebony, which is one of the few timbers that sinks in water. Its fine grain means that it polishes well and as a result is used extensively in musical instruments, especially as piano keys and also for making chess pieces.

Other Names: Date Plum Persimmon

Growth rate: Medium

Plant Type: Deciduous fruiting tree

Family: Ebenaceae

Native Range: Middle East and South Asia Height: 20 to 30 feet Spread: 20 to 30 feet Shape: Round; upright

Bloom Time: July

Bloom Color: yellow-green Flower/Fruit: Non showy small fragrant flowers followed by small (3/4 inch) yellow edible fruit that turns purple-brown when fully ripe.

Sun: Full Sun

Fall Color: Golden

Drought tolerance: Moderate

Water: Medium Maintenance: Low

Culture: Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized effect is desired. Once established they need minimal care and require little or no pruning. Fertilize three times a year as you would for other fruiting trees.

Uses: May be pruned as a hedge, screen. Used as Bonsai. Date Plum persimmons make attractive shade trees with the added bonus of delicious fruit. They can be espaliered or used as specimen trees in mixed plantings, where their colorful fall foliage and fruits will be emphasized against an evergreen backdrop.