(Credit: Pixabay)

"If it be not ripe it will drawe a man’s mouth awrie with much torment; but when it is ripe, it is as delicious as an Apricock."

—Captain John Smith

I would venture to guess that most of us, after having bitten into an unripe persimmon, can attest to the above words of English explorer and colonial governor Captain John Smith. Biting into an unripe persimmon causes a condition locals often refer to as ‘pucker mouth.’ The offending substances behind this sensory overload are tannins, a group of naturally occurring compounds found in many plants. Tannins are so astringent they can bring human tastebuds to a sudden halt and have the power to turn a non-suspecting bite into a moment of instant regret.

Persimmons need to be fully ripe before they lose their astringency. This normally happens late in fall, after their leaves have dropped. (Credit: North Carolina State University)

American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a woody, deciduous tree in the Ebenaceae (ebony) plant family. It is native to the central and eastern United States and can reach 30 to 80 feet high and 20 to 35 feet wide. The name persimmon comes from 'putchamin,' a phonetic rendering of the name used by the Algonquin tribe of Native Americans. The specific epithet virginiana is Latin and means “Virginian.”

Locally, persimmons at times go by the name of “first frost fruit” because of the length of time they require to ripen. The skin of a ripe persimmon should be soft, and the fruit should feel very delicate, almost like a water balloon when you gently press it. During the ripening process, the aforementioned tannins dissipate, rendering persimmons sweet and palatable. Freezing temperatures do not affect the astringency of persimmon fruit. Elimination of tannins is a function of time, not temperature.

Persimmons are diecious and have separate male and female trees. Pictured is the flower of a male persimmon tree. (Credit Pixabay)

Persimmons are dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female trees. Both are needed to produce fruit. The trees flower from spring to early summer and produce fruit that ripen in the fall. The fruit are very sweet when ripe and are a food source for many birds and mammals. Persimmon fruit has an enlarged calyx at its base and a distinctive beak at the end of the fruit. Another distinctive characteristic of this tree is its bark. It has a thick, dark gray bark that is divided by furrows into square blocks resembling a checkerboard and sometimes is called “alligator bark.” Fall leaf color is showy and ranges from yellow to orange to bright red.

Persimmon's colorful fall foliage helps to make it an attractive tree for home landscapes. (Credit: Pixabay)

Persimmons can be grown as an ornamental or fruit tree in the home landscape, or in naturalized areas for wildlife. Thus, it can be placed in many types of gardens. With spectacular autumn foliage and fruit that extends the harvest late into the fall, persimmon trees are an excellent addition to an edible landscape. Fruit often remain on a tree after its leaves have fallen. Unaffected by freezing temperatures, they provide an attractive addition to a winter landscape.

Ozark and Appalachian folklore maintain that the shape of the embryo found inside the kernel of a ripe persimmon seed can predict the type of winter to come. If the embryo’s shape resembles a spoon, expect a lot of snow; a fork indicates a mild winter; and a knife predicts a very cold, winter with icy winds. As with most folklore, persimmon seeds do not have scientific backing for accurately predicting the winter weather.

Local folklore maintains that the severity of the ensuing winter can be predicted by the shape of the embryo inside a mature persimmon seed. Pictured left to right are fork, knife and spoon. (Credit: floatmissouri.com)

Although considered safe to eat, persimmon consumption carries a few caveats. First, it is best not to pick persimmons from a tree but rather gather fallen fruit from the ground. The older a persimmon is, the lower its tannin content will be. Also, persimmons should not be eaten on an empty stomach because the tannins in the fruit can react with stomach acid to form a hard, indigestible mass called a phytobezoar. Eating them with other food helps dilute the tannins and prevent this reaction, reducing the risk of a painful stomach or intestinal blockage. Additionally, because of their high sugar content, people with diabetes should be cautious when eating persimmons. Finally, individuals who have never consumed persimmons should use caution because of the possibility of an allergic reaction to the tannins in the fruit.

For those who can safely consume persimmons, they can be eaten fresh, dried, or used in baked goods and savory dishes. There are several health benefits associated with their consumption. In addition to the dietary fiber they contain, persimmons are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, each of which can benefit human health. For example, vitamin C helps support the immune system and protects against heart disease. Additionally, persimmons can help keep your eyes healthy. One serving contains more than half the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which is important to vision. The peel of persimmon is rich in luetin which is known to help protect against eye disease.

Finally, the large persimmons often found in the produce section of supermarkets are Oriental or Chinese persimmon (Diospyros kaki). This species of persimmon is winter hardy only to 10 degrees F which makes planting them a questionable choice for most of Missouri.

The large persimmons found in supermarkets are Oriental persimmons. They belong to a separate species that cannot tolerate the cold winter temperatures of most regions of Missouri. (Credit: Pixabay)

Persimmon fun facts:

• Diospyros, the genus of persimmon, literally interpreted means “food of the gods.”
• There are about 2,000 varieties of persimmons.
• There are only two types of commercially available persimmons: hachiya (astringent) and fuyu (non-astringent).
• California is the leading state for persimmon production, accounting for about 99 percent of the national market.
• It can take a persimmon tree up to seven years before it produces fruit.
• Fresh and dried persimmon leaves can be used to make tea.
• During the Civil War, persimmon seeds were used as a substitute for coffee.
• The persimmon cultivar 'Giombo' is known for producing fruit up to five inches in size.