American Persimmon

American persimmon, or common persimmon, is native to the eastern U.S. It can grow to between 30 and 80 feet high. The trees I’ve seen tend not to have a wide spread. In the fall, it produces small, soft, oranges fruits the size of a quarter, which often stay on the tree long after it has shed its leaves. The taste of soft flesh and jelly-like pulp of the fruit is closest to honey, at least to me. Compared to many of the popular fruits grown in on the East Coast, persimmon fruits seem to have little pest pressure, so it’s a pretty secure natural, native source of sugar/sweetness. There are many improved varieties, many of which were cultivated in China, Japan, and Korea, which ripen at different times and ripen to different textures/consistencies. Biting into an astringent, unripe persimmon can affect your impression of the whole genus. That said, American persimmons are predictably sweet and ripe when they are no longer firm. Excellent wildlife food, as well.