 True Name/ Common Name:
Persimmon – Diospyros ______ one genus and many species. The name persimmon is derived from the Native American Algonquin language and means “dry fruit.” The Latin name for the genus, diospyros, literally translates as “the food of the gods.” (I am suprised that it wasn't the Persimmon tree that Jesus cursed) However, they do have a heavenly flavor and almost celestial glow when ripe not to mention amazing health benefits. Description of Look and Flavor:
Persimmon trees grow about 8 meters and sprout one of the sweetest fruits you’ve ever tasted. Being a tart man myself, they are a little too sweet for me. The fruit ranges in color from light yellow/orange to a deeper red skin and in size from 1.5 cm – 9cm in diameter. The flesh is similar to that of an over-ripened apricot, being decadently sweet and pillowy soft, and sometimes fibrous. Persimmons look a lot like tomatoes and can be spherical or more like an acorn or even a pumpkin. Growth Period/ Harvest –
Persimmon harvest goes from September 25th through December 10th. It’s not a fruit that humans have been able to tame and retrain like the others, yet. Nutritional Info –
You know what they say, a persimmon a day keeps the apple away. A recent study showed that persimmons are a nutritional powerhouse with he-man quantities of vitamin A, potassium, fiber, and a gang of antioxidants. They have twice as much fiber as apples and significantly higher levels of potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese. A persimmon a day actually could help to prevent heart disease because some of their antioxidants prevent the bad cholesterol from accumulating in your arteries.
In Chinese medicine raw persimmons are used to regulate chi, treat constipation, hemorrhoids, and to stop bleeding. When cooked they help to alleviate the symptoms of diarrhea and dysentery. Other Uses: The wood from the tree is used in traditional Korean and Japanese furniture as well as in billiard cues. It also used to be the preferred wood for the heads of golf drivers, until the woods turned to metal at the end of the 20th Century. History –
Early American settlers avoided persimmons until the natives showed them that you must wait until the first frost before the fruit finally matures and turns from astringent to sweet. A secret that was welcomed and celebrated I’m sure. Interesting Facts/ Misnomers -
Mitchell Indiana holds The Annual Persimmon Festival featuring a persimmon pudding contest. This is a baked pudding with the consistency of pumpkin pie and the appearance of a brownie. It is almost always heaped with whipped cream.
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