Date plum, Diospyros Lotus and Diospyros Virginiana
The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. The fruit has an exquisitely rich flavour when it is fully ripe (almost at the point of going bad), but it is very harsh and astringent before then.
The fruit may not ripen properly in a cool summer, though if it is frosted it normally develops a very good flavour.
The fruit can be dried, when it acquires a date-like flavour. The fruit can also be harvested in the autumn, preferably after a frost, and bletted. (This is a process where the fruit is kept in a cool place and only eaten when it is very soft and almost at the point of going rotten).
The fruit of trees in a fairly sunny position at Kew ripens on the tree in most years and produces fertile seed.
The fruit contains about 1.9% protein, 0.2% fat, 47.7% carbohydrate, 1% ash.
Fruits are about the size of a large cherry, they turn from yellow to blue-black when fully ripe.
The wood is durable, pliable, resists rot. Used for construction, general carpentry etc.