Scientific name - Diospyros kaki L.

'Dios' = divine, 'pyros' = fruit.

Synonyms --

Popular names - khaki, khaki du Japon, Japanese Persimmon, date plum, fig keg, Plaqueminier Caque, Kakipflaume.

Distribution and Habitat - originating in China.

Description - monoecious tree, 6-12 m high. Trunk erect, conical crown, brown bark is exfoliating in small plates. Leaves fell, coriacee, alternate, language oval-elliptic, margin entire, top acuminata, the attenuated, shiny green on top and pubescent towards the bottom, 7-20 x 4.10 cm, petiole 1-1.5 cm long. Flowers solitary, 3 cm in diameter, Corola yellow-green, persistent calyx, 4 petals. Baca Fruit Ball, yellow-orange, contains 8 seeds, short stalk.

Tolerances - temperature of -14 C ͦ, soils rich in nitrogen.

Requirements - soil well-drained, moderately fertile, pH 6.5-7.5, sunny.

Management - to trim the branches dry. Apply fertilizers, spring, every year with NPK - 10:10:10.

Propagation - by seed under cold greenhouse, immediately after maturation. Stored seeds need a stratification period. Germinate after 1-6 months at 15 ͦ C. First year plants need winter protection. By cuttings, seedlings semi-lihnificati in July-August. Distance between trees should be 7-9 m.

Diseases and pests - Colletotrichum S. Macroposthonia xenoplax, Meloidogyne incognita, Pratylenchus sp.,

Cultivars and varieties - 'Fuyu' fruit spherical, sweet, contain only 2-3 seeds.

'Great Wall' with small fruit, 6 cm in diameter, grow slowly.

'Jiro' fruit spherical, yellow-redwhen is mature.

'Saijō' oblong fruit; ͦ tolerate temperatures up to -23 C

Properties and Uses - fruits are edible, cooked or raw, is astringent. Shown is that the fruit to be consumed after the first frost so.

Suitable for training bonsailor.

The pulp of the unripe fruit is used in cosmetics.

The fruit contains 65 kcal / 100 g containing 18% sugars, 78.20% water, 0.80% protein, 0.40% fat, vitamin C, beta carotene and potassium.

Diospyros kaki has laxative and diuretic properties, is indicated for people suffering from diabetes or obesity.

Myth, Legend and Folklore - Diospyros kaki is cultivated over 2,000 years in China, 1300 years in Japan, 500 years in Korea, and 100 years in the U.S., Brazil, and Israel.

In Europe it was first introduced to giveta in 1921.

Diospyros kaki is the national fruit of Japan.

Tree of Peace Tree khaki is considered, because after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, is one of the trees that have 'survived'.

References

AH Halevy - Handbook of Flowering - CRC Press, 1989

DK Kishore, Satish K. Sharma, KK Pramanick - Temperate Horticulture - New India Publishing Agency, 2006

David J. Rogers, Constance Rogers - Woody Ornamentals for Deep South Gardens - University Press of Florida, 1991

Miranda Smith - Complete Home Gardening - Creative Homeowner, 2006

Ran Levy-Yamamori, Gerard Taaffe - Garden Plants of Japan - Timber Press, 2004