''Diospyros lotus'', with common names date-plum, Caucasian persimmon, or lilac persimmon, is a widely cultivated species of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

Diospyros ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark ...

'', native to subtropical southwest

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

and southeast

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

. Its English name derives from the small fruit, which have a taste reminiscent of both

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found ...

s and dates. It is among the oldest plants in cultivation.

Distribution and ecology

The species area extends from East Asia to the west of the Mediterranean, down to Spain. The date-plum is native to southwest Asia and southeast Europe. It was known to the ancient

Greeks The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, Albania, Greeks in Italy, ...

as "God's fruit" (, ''Diós pŷrós''), hence the scientific name of the genus. Its English name probably derives from Persian ''Khormaloo'' خرمالو literally "date-plum", referring to the taste of this fruit which is reminiscent of both

s and dates. The fruit is called ''Amlok'' املوک in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

and consumed dried. This species is one candidate for the " lotus tree" mentioned in '' The Odyssey'': it was so delicious that those who ate it forgot about returning home and wanted to stay and eat lotus with the lotus-eaters. The tree grows in the lower and middle mountain zones in the Caucasus. They usually grow up to 600 m above sea level. In Central Asia, it rises higher—up to 2000 m. They rarely grow in stands but often grow with hackberry, ash, maple and other deciduous species. It is not demanding on the soil and can grow on rocky slopes but requires a well lit environment. It is cultivated at the limits of its range, as well as in the U.S. and North Africa.

Biological description

This is a tree height of 15–30 m with sloughing of aging bark. The leaves are shiny, leathery, oval-shaped with pointed ends, 5–15 cm long and 3–6 cm in width. The flowers are small, greenish, appearing in June to July. Fruits are berries with juicy flesh, yellow when ripe, 1–2 cm in diameter. Seeds with thin skin and a very hard endosperm. File:Diospyros_lotus_02.jpg, The fruit of date-plum. File:K%C3%BC%C3%A7%C3%BCk_meyveli_Trabzon_hurmas%C4%B1.JPG, The leaves of date-plum. File:Diospyros_lotus1.jpg, The trunk of date-plum.

Usage

Caucasian persimmon fruits are edible and contain much sugar, malic acid, and vitamins. They are used as fresh fruits or after frost, but usually dried. Drying and frost destroy their tartness.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q771101 Diospyros Edible fruits Trees of Europe Trees of Western Asia Flora of the Caucasus Plants described in 1753