Plant Details

Diospyros lotus

Date Plum

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Common names

23 names · 15 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (14)
Dutch
  • Dadelpruim[1]
  • Godenpeer
  • Lotusboom[1]
French
  • Plaqueminier de Virginie
  • Plaqueminier lotier[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • tomel obecný[1]
Finnish
  • taateliluumu[1]
German
  • Lotuspflaume[1]
Italian
  • Albero di Sant' Andrea[1]
Japanese
  • ブドウガキ[1]
  • マメガキ[1]
Korean
Polish
  • Hurma kaukaska[1]
Russian
  • Хурма кавказская[1]
  • Хурма обыкновенная[1]
Slovak
  • ebenovník datľový[1]
Turkish
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Diospyros lotus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Date plum — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Lotuspflaume — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Plaqueminier lotier — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Albero di Sant' Andrea — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • 고욤 — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • tomel obecný — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Хурма кавказская — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • マメガキ — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • ブドウガキ — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • 君迁子 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • 君遷子 — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • 고욤나무 — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Hurma kaukaska — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Hırnık — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • 黑枣 — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Dadelpruim — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Lotusboom — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • taateliluumu — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • 软枣 — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • ebenovník datľový — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.
  • Хурма обыкновенная — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 83445; Diospyros lotus.

General information

Scientific name: Diospyros lotus
Accepted name (Kew): Diospyros lotus L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Ebenaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Diospyros (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Date Plum
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Fruit tree
Catalogue size class: Small, Medium
Height: 9.00 m
Spread: 6.00 m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Deciduous

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 7-9
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Wood

Description

Fruit - raw or cooked. The taste of the fruit is deliciously rich when it is fully ripe (almost overripe), but earlier it is very hard and astringent. In a cool summer, the fruit may not ripen well, but when it becomes slightly soft, it usually develops a very good flavor. The fruit can be dried, which gives it a date-like taste. The fruit can also be harvested in the autumn, preferably after a frost and bletted (softened to promote ripening). The fruit ripens on the tree in a fairly sunny spot in Kew in most years and produces fertile seeds. The fruit contains about 1.9% protein, 0.2% fat, 47.7% carbohydrates, and 1% ash. The fruits are approximately the size of a large cherry and change color from yellow to blue-black as they ripen. They are about 20 mm in diameter.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/10
Harvest ends: 15/11

Crown

Crown shape: Broad pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1224034; name ID 383603; Diospyros L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 325265; name ID 384337; Diospyros lotus L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.