Practical
Plants

Diospyros lotus

Date Plum

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Diospyros genus in the family Ebenaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Ebenaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
9 m
Spread
6 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

None known

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[8][11]. The fruit has an exquisitely rich flavour when it is fully ripe (almost at the point of going bad), but it is very harsh and astringent before then[K]. The fruit may not ripen properly in a cool summer, though if it is frosted it normally develops a very good flavour[K]. The fruit can be dried, when it acquires a date-like flavour[12][7]. The fruit can also be harvested in the autumn, preferably after a frost, and bletted[7]. (This is a process where the fruit is kept in a cool place and only eaten when it is very soft and almost at the point of going rotten). The fruit of trees in a fairly sunny position at Kew ripens on the tree in most years and produces fertile seed[K]. The fruit contains about 1.9% protein, 0.2% fat, 47.7% carbohydrate, 1% ash[6]. Fruits are about the size of a large cherry, they turn from yellow to blue-black when fully ripe[7]. The fruit is about 20mm in diameter[9].

Plant part
Fruit

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The fruit is febrifuge[5][10]. It is also used to promote secretions[10]. The seed is regarded in China as being sedative[10].

Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Sedative

Material uses

Sometimes used as a rootstock for D. kaki[7]. Wood - durable, pliable, resists rot. Used for construction, general carpentry etc[13].

Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan. Himalayas.
Habitat
Mixed mountain forests to 1500 metres in China[13].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[2][9]. Stored seed requires a period of cold-stratification and should be sown as early in the year as possible[14]. It usually germinates in 1 - 6 months at 15°c[4]. Pot up the young seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle into fairly deep pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Give them some protection from winter cold for their first year or two outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[9]. Layering in spring[9].

Cultivation

Requires a good deep loamy soil in sun or light shade[9]. When being grown for its fruit, the tree should be given a warm, sheltered, sunny position[K]. It dislikes very acid or wet and poorly drained soils[9]. Dormant plants are very cold-hardy, but the young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. Dioecious, but the female tree can produce seedless fruits in the absence of a pollinator[1]. It is likely that unfertilized fruits are more astringent than fertilized fruits since this is the case with D. kaki[K]. Plants have a long tap root and are difficult to transplant[9], it is best to plant them out in their permanent position as soon as possible and to give protection overwinter for the first year or two[K]. This species is sometimes cultivated for its edible fruit in Italy and E. Asia, there are some named varieties[3][7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

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  3. Brouk. B. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-12-136450-x

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  4. Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991-00-00

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  5. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

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  6. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

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  7. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  8. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  10. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7

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  12. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  13. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  14. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

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