Date Plum: A Sweet Addition to Your Garden or Just Another Non-Native?
If you’re looking for a fruit tree that’s a little different from the usual suspects, you might have stumbled across the date plum (Diospyros lotus). This lesser-known cousin of the more famous persimmon brings its own unique charm to the garden, though it’s worth understanding what you’re getting into before you plant one.
What Exactly Is a Date Plum?
Despite its common name, the date plum isn’t actually related to either dates or plums. It’s a member of the persimmon family and produces small, sweet fruits that are about the size of a large cherry. The botanical name Diospyros lotus literally means fruit of the gods, which gives you a hint about how tasty these little treats can be.
This deciduous tree typically grows to about 15-30 feet tall and wide, making it a nice choice for smaller gardens where you want fruit production without overwhelming the space. The leaves are oval-shaped and turn lovely shades of yellow and orange in fall, adding seasonal interest beyond just the fruit.
Where Does It Come From?
Date plums aren’t native to North America – they originally hail from parts of Asia, including Iran, Afghanistan, and areas around the Mediterranean. This means if you’re focused on native gardening, you’ll want to consider whether this tree fits with your goals or if you’d prefer to explore native alternatives like American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana).
The Good, The Bad, and The Fruity
Let’s be honest about what you can expect from a date plum tree:
The appealing aspects:
- Produces sweet, edible fruits that ripen in late summer to fall
- Relatively compact size works well in smaller landscapes
- Attractive fall foliage adds seasonal color
- Flowers provide nectar for bees and other pollinators
- Once established, it’s quite drought tolerant
The potential drawbacks:
- Not native, so it won’t support local wildlife as effectively as native species
- May take several years to start producing significant fruit
- Fruits can create cleanup work if you don’t harvest them
- Limited availability at nurseries compared to more common fruit trees
Growing Conditions and Care
Date plums are surprisingly adaptable and not too fussy about their growing conditions. They thrive in USDA hardiness zones 6-9, so they can handle both cold winters and hot summers reasonably well.
Here’s what they prefer:
- Full sun to partial shade (though more sun means better fruit production)
- Well-draining soil – they really don’t like wet feet
- Regular watering when young, but drought tolerance improves with age
- Minimal fertilizer needs once established
Planting and Care Tips
Getting your date plum off to a good start isn’t complicated, but a few key steps will help ensure success:
- Plant in spring after the last frost date
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper
- Water regularly for the first couple of years while the tree establishes
- Mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds
- Pruning is minimal – just remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches
Should You Plant One?
Whether a date plum makes sense for your garden depends on your priorities. If you’re interested in trying unusual edible plants and have space for a medium-sized tree, it can be a fun addition. The fruits are genuinely tasty, and the tree itself is attractive.
However, if your focus is on supporting native wildlife and local ecosystems, you might want to consider native alternatives instead. American persimmon offers similar benefits but provides much better support for native birds, insects, and other wildlife.
Either way, if you do decide to plant a date plum, you’ll be growing something that’s been cultivated for thousands of years – there’s definitely some garden history in those sweet little fruits!
