WILD
FOODIES' HOME PAGE
PLANT PROFILE LIST
NAME: Persimmon
SPECIES / FAMILY: Diospyros Virginiana / Ebenaceae
OTHER COMMON NAME(S): American Persimmon, Possumwood, Possum Apples
CONDITIONS:
partial shade
|
PARTS: |
EDIBLE |
TASTE |
RAW/COOK |
SEASON |
|
All |
|
|
|
|
|
Shoots |
|
|
|
|
|
Leaves |
|
sassafras |
DRY/STEEP |
Spring/Summer |
|
Stalk/Stem |
|
|
|
|
|
Buds |
||||
|
Flowers |
|
|
|
|
|
Fruits |
|
apricot |
RAW/DRY/COOK |
Fall |
|
Pods |
|
|||
|
Seeds |
|
coffee/extender |
DRY/ROAST |
Fall |
|
Nuts |
|
|
|
|
|
Roots |
|
|
|
|
|
Bark |
|
|
|
|
PORTION: small-medium
COMMENT: Need both make and female trees to produce fruit, unlike cultivated Asian persimmons that are self-polinating, but also don't spread (to my knowledge). DELICIOUS, HOWEVER THE PERSIMMON FRUIT MUST BE COMPLETELY RIPE before eating in order avoid "cotton-mouth", which can be very uncomfortable. Although the pulp may ripen before the skin, both should be completely ripe and then both can be freely eaten or processed. Freezing or cooking persimmons before they ripen will not work. Older persimmon trees have a square-ish chunky bark that is very distinctive and makes it easier to identify.
Links on how to remove astringency:
- Simplest method: The homeowner may merely keep the fruits at room temperature in a closed vessel or plastic bag for 2-4 days with bananas, pears, tomatoes, apples, or other fruits which give off ethylene gas. https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/persimmon-remove-astringency
- http://sciencemeetsfood.org/persimmons-incredibly-inedibly-astringent
Fruit - raw, cooked or dried and used in breads, cakes, pies, puddings etc (fruit leather). About the size of a plum, the fruit has an exquisitely rich flavour when it is fully ripe (and 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 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 can also be dried and used in bread, cakes etc. Molasses can be made from the fruit pulp. An oil obtained from the seeds is said to taste like peanut oil. A tea is made from the dried leaves, has a pleasant flavour somewhat like sassafras. The roasted seed is used as a coffee extender.(1,2) The fruit is also fermented with hops, cornmeal or wheat bran into a sort of beer or made into brandy.(3)
CAUTION: If you do not digest food well or have had gastric bypass surgery excessive consumption of persimmons can create intestinal blockage called a bezoar. It happens more in farm animals than man but people who consume huge amounts of persimmons or who have gastric issues are at risk. If you drink coffee, roasted seed should be used as a coffee extender, not coffee substitute.(2)
NUTRITION/MEDICINAL: The fruit and leaves are loaded with Vitamin C. (2, 3) fiber, Vit C, B, minerals, anti-oxidants, flavonoids.(4) Antiscorbutic; Astringent; Warts. Cancers. (1)
LOOK-A-LIKES:
POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES:
OTHER USES: What most people don’t know is that the persimmon is the North American ebony...The hard, closed-grain wood can be worked (often to be made into “natural” wedding bands.(2) Wood - strong, hard, heavy, fine-grained, elastic, resistant to wear. A valuable wood, it is used for making wooden ware, turnery etc. It is used especially for making handles for golf clubs.(1)
SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):
- https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Diospyros+virginiana
- http://www.eattheweeds.com/persimmons-pure-pucker-power-2
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_virginiana
- http://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/07/persimmons.html (good photos)
- http://foragedfoodie.blogspot.com/2016/09/foraging-identifying-wild-persimmons.html
- http://tcpermaculture.blogspot.com/2011/08/permaculture-plants-persimmons.html
- https://www.wildabundance.net/american-persimmon-facts-recipes (recipes)
- https://showmeoz.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/wild-walk-cooking-with-persimmons (recipes)
- https://www.wildedible.com/persimmon-punch-recipe (recipes)
- http://livetheoldway.com/wild-persimmon-4-sweet-savory-recipes-fall-festivities (recipes)
- https://homestead-honey.com/2013/10/16/persimmons (recipes)
- https://kirbiecravings.com/persimmon-fruit-roll-ups (recipes)
- https://weelicious.com/persimmon-fruit-leather (recipe)