Diospyros lotus Seeds | Date Plum Persimmon
LATIN NAME: Diospyros lotus
COMMON NAME: Date Plum, Caucasian Persimmon
Plant Profile
Known to gardeners as Date Plum, Diospyros lotus is a medium-sized, deciduous tree in the ebony family (Ebenaceae), native to warm woodlands of the southwest Asia and the southeast Europe, while it has been cultivated for its fruit for thousands of years. Established plants reach around Twenty-five metres. Its flowers draw a steady traffic of bees and other beneficial insects. Taken as a whole, it is a plant that repays a little attention many times over.
Science & Biotechnology
Diospyros lotus sits in the ebony family, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. Date plum has a real and distinguished place in research. Interest from collectors and breeders has never lapsed, and good seed continues to circulate.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Date Plum earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Date plum is a medium-sized, deciduous tree of warm woodlands, bearing glossy, dark-green leaves and small, sweet, yellow-orange or purple-black fruits in the autumn. Its fruits are a food for birds and wildlife, and its spreading, rounded crown gives a fine shade in garden and park, while its small, sweet fruits are an ancient and interesting fruit. To raise date plum, sow seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a cool, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow little trees on in the sun. Once settled, it thrives on neglect more than on fussing.
Persimmons are carotenoid-rich fruit, and their tannins made unripe fruit a traditional astringent; ebony relatives yield the world’s blackest cabinet wood.
Growing from Seed
Date Plum is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. A simple routine works well: sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, maintain even moisture, and provide bright light. Once the seedlings have made true leaves, pot them on individually and plant out when they are sturdy and conditions are right.
Our Take
Among the Diospyros group, it is one of the more distinctive species in cultivation. Given the right start, Date Plum, Caucasian Persimmon is a long-term garden companion. What it needs is basic: sun, drainage, and a little patience while it establishes.
Related Reading
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