Persimmon (Diospyros kak – Thunb.)

Common Name	Persimmon, Japanese persimmon
Family	Ebenaceae
USDA hardiness	7-10
Known Hazards	None known
Habitats	Not known in a truly wild situation, it is found in broad leafed woodland but probably as an escape from cultivation[74, 200].
Range	E. Asia – China, Japan.
Edibility Rating	(4 of 5)
Other Uses	(3 of 5)
Weed Potential	No
Medicinal Rating	(3 of 5)
Care

Summary

Diospyros species, Diospyros is a genus of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs mainly native to the tropics. Black Sapote or Chocolate Pudding Tree (D. digyna) is a fruit tree native to Central America and Western South America. The fruit is rich, dark chocolate brown, and somewhat sweet; it is eaten only when fully ripe and soft. Rather bland, the fruit is best mashed with a bit of orange, lemon or lime juice and chilled before serving. The immature fruit can be boiled and used as a vegetable. The fruit is rather dull but delicious when used in smoothies and jams. Sapote fruit after five years. Pick fruit after the sepals curl up. Black sapote is not related to White Sapote or Mamey Sapote. Harvest in spring to summer. Mature trees can withstand light frosts. Seedling trees commence bearing fruit when 5 – 6 years old, whilst grafted specimens can fruit when 2 – 3 years old. American Persimmon (D. virginiana) (Heat-tolerant in zones 9 through 1) has been successfully grown in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and California. It has an exquisitely rich flavoured fruit about the size of a plum when fully ripe. The unripe fruit is harsh and astringent. The fruit may not ripen properly in a cool summer, though if it is frosted, it develops a good flavour. The fruit is cooked or dried and used in bread, cakes, pies and puddings. American persimmon) is self-fertile. Harvest in autumn into winter. The Jackalberry or Monkey guava (D. mespiliformis) is native to tropical Africa. Sweet-flavoured fruit similar to Japanese Persimmon (D. kaki) is eaten raw, cooked, dried, or made into beverages by fermentation. A soft toffee is made from fruits, which, along with some other similar edible fruits, such as figs and dates, are known as Lubiya. The plant is widely used in traditional medicine in parts of Africa, and several medically active constituents have been isolated. Date Plum (D. lotus), hardy to -15°C (5°F), has exquisitely rich flavoured fruit when fully ripe. The smaller fruit of the Date Plum acquires a date-like flavour when dried. The native range of this species is NE. & S. Central Türkiye to Korea, but it has been introduced to other regions with pronounced dry, Mediterranean climates, including Albania, the Balearic Islands, Greece, Italy, and Spain, particularly in their coastal areas. Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Rounded, Upright or erect.

Physical Characteristics

Diospyros kak is a deciduous Tree growing to 12 m (39ft) by 7 m (23ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen in November. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). . The plant is not self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Edible Uses

Fruit – raw or cooked. The fruit has an exquisitely rich flavour when it is very soft and fully ripe (almost at the point of going bad), but the fruit of many cultivars is very harsh and astringent before then[K]. In Britain, the fruit needs to be harvested whilst it is still very hard. This is done very late in the season (in December or even January if possible), it is then stored in a cool but frost-free place until very soft and fully ripe. The fruit can also be used in pies, cakes, bread, desserts etc. It contains 25% sugars. A fuller nutritional analysis is available. The fruit can also be dried for later use. The fruit is about 7.5cm in diameter. The peel of the fruit can be powdered and used as a sweetener. The leaves are used to improve the flavour of pickled radishes. The roasted seeds are a coffee substitute.

Composition
Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.

Fruit (Dry weight)

350 Calories per 100g
Water : 0%
Protein: 3.6g; Fat: 1.5g; Carbohydrate: 91g; Fibre: 7.7g; Ash: 4g;
Minerals – Calcium: 80mg; Phosphorus: 100mg; Iron: 8mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 20mg; Potassium: 950mg; Zinc: 0mg;
Vitamins – A: 5600mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.2mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.15mg; Niacin: 0.9mg; B6: 0mg; C: 75mg;
Reference: [ 218]
Notes:

Medicinal Uses

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Appetizer, sialagogue. The stem bark is astringent and styptic. The fruit is said to have different properties depending on its stage of ripeness, though it is generally antitussive, astringent, laxative, nutritive and stomachic. The fresh fully ripe fruit is used raw in the treatment of constipation and haemorrhoids and when cooked is used to treat diarrhoea.. The dried ripe fruit is used in the treatment of bronchial complaints, whilst when ground into a powder it is used to treat dry coughs. Juice from the unripe fruit is used in the treatment of hypertension. The fruits, picked green and ripened in containers with the leaves, become very sweet and are considered to be antifebrile, antivinous and demulcent[218]. The fruits are also peeled and then exposed to sunlight by day and dew by night. They become encrusted with a white powder and are then considered to be anthelmintic, antihaemorrhagic, antivinous, expectorant, febrifuge and restorative. The peduncle is used to treat coughs and hiccups. The calyx is used to treat hiccups.

Other Uses

Agroforestry uses: Persimmon trees can be used in agroforestry systems for their edible fruit, which supports both wildlife and human consumption. They also provide shade and can improve soil structure. The pulp of unripe fruits is used in cosmetics to make face-packs because of its firming qualities[7]. Wood – hard and durable with a beautiful grain. Used for making fine furniture[266]. 1. Nectary – Flowers rich in nectar and pollen: Yes – Persimmon trees produce flowers that are attractive to pollinators, especially bees. The nectar and pollen contribute to supporting beneficial insects. 2. Wildlife – Food (Fruit, Seeds, Leaf litter, Shelter, Nesting, Roosting): Yes – The fruits of persimmon are a valuable food source for wildlife, including birds, mammals, and insects. The tree’s foliage can also provide shelter, and older trees may offer nesting or roosting sites for birds. 3. Invertebrate Shelter (Overwintering sites, Leaf litter, Groundcover): Yes – The rough bark, leaf litter, and decaying matter around the base can offer overwintering and shelter sites for invertebrates. 4. Pest Confuser (Smell): No – Persimmon does not have a specific odor that acts as a pest confuser or repellent.

Cultivation details

Landscape Uses: Pest tolerant. Prefers a good deep loamy soil in sun or light shade but succeeds in most soils. Dislikes very acid or wet and poorly drained soils. Requires a sheltered position. Dormant plants are quite hardy in Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -14°c, but they require warmer summers than are normally experienced in Britain in order to ripen their fruit and wood. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. A warm sunny wall improves the chance of producing ripe fruit[3] and trees fruit freely when grown under glass[. Fruits are frequently produced outdoors at Kew[. A tree seen in a open position with afternoon shade at Kew in November 1993 (after a cool summer) had about 200 almost ripe fruits around 8cm in diameter[K]. The same tree, after a fairly warm summer in 1996, had a large quantity of fruit just about ready for harvesting in the middle of December[K]. Trees produce a long taproot and should be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible. The young trees require some winter protection for their first winter or two[K]. The persimmon is widely cultivated for its edible fruit in warm temperate areas of the world, especially in Japan and China, there are many named varieties[183]. Some cultivars, such as ‘Fuyu’, lack the usual astringency and can be eaten whilst still firm, though they develop a richer flavour if allowed to become soft[183, 200]. These non-astringent forms require a warmer climate and do not ripen in cooler areas[183]. The astringent cultivars are somewhat hardier and ripen well in cooler climates than the non-astringent forms[183]. The fruit colours better and is sweeter in warmer areas but in hot conditions has a poor texture and deep black spots develop[183]. If allowed to become very ripe (almost to the point of going rotten), they develop a better flavour than non-astringent forms. Dioecious, but the female tree can produce seedless fruits in the absence of a pollinator. However, unfertilized fruit tends to be smaller and more astringent. This astringency is due to the high content of tannin but once the fruit is fully ripe it loses this astringency and becomes sweet. If fertilized fruit is required, then growing one male for every 8 – 10 females is usually adequate. Special Features:Edible, Not North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 10 through 7. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of “heat days” experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form – tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a standard with a non-suckering single trunk [1-2]. The root pattern is a tap root similar to a carrot going directly down [1-2]. Some species of Diospyros, like Diospyros virginiana (American persimmon), are self-fertile, while others may require cross-pollination to produce fruit effectively. Persimmon trees grow at a moderate rate, typically reaching maturity in 3 to 5 years, with a full height of 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 7.6 meters), depending on the species and growing conditions. Persimmons are typically harvested in autumn, depending on the species and climate. Persimmons usually flower in late spring to early summer.

Plant Propagation

Seed – best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[113, 200]. Stored seed requires a period of cold-stratification and should be sown as early in the year as possible[78]. It usually germinates in 1 – 6 months at 15°c[175]. Pot up the young seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle into fairly deep pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Give them some protection from winter cold for their first year or two outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[200]. Layering in spring[200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Anhui Sheng, Fujian Sheng, Gansu Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Hainan Sheng, Henan Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Taiwan, Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng,China. TROPICAL ASIA: Myanmar,

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Source: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Diospyros+kak