Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Date Plum

Diospyros lotus is in the ebony family of plants. The bark is very similar to its genus mate, Diospyros virginiana, the American persimmon. As are the calyces. The subject of today’s post is the date plum or Caucasian persimmon, which is native to a swath of territory from Spain to southwest Asia. Diospyros, the genus name, is Greek for god’s fruit.

“What journal do the persimmon and the buckeye keep, and the sharp-shinned hawk?” ~ Henry Thoreau

mthew

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2 responses to “Date Plum”

  1. Paul Lamb

    So non-native to the U.S.?

    I have persimmon in my Ozark woods (and the critters get to the fruits before I can). At least, that’s what I think they are.

    Reply
    1. mthew

      Yes, the date plum is non-native. This one was in a botanic collection.

      Opossum love American persimmon.

      Reply

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