
Practically speaking, eating an astringent fruit at the wrong time will leave your mouth feeling like it’s been drained of every last drop of moisture, giving new meaning to the phrase “pucker power”. Technically speaking, the astringent fruits are high in tannins. Non-astringent persimmons are typically eaten when they are ripe but still somewhat firm, delicious as is. Their fruit can be categorized as astringent or non-astringent. There are two general groups of persimmons based on their fruit. Persimmon fruits are somewhat round, and yellow-orange to orange-red in color. Generally, these commercial types can be found at the grocery store in about January. Most of the persimmon cultivars grown commercially were bred from Asian species. There are many other species of persimmon, native to parts of the world such as Europe and Asia. They also have outstanding customer service. Stark Brothers Nursery in Missouri has one of the most extensive persimmon selections. This may explain why I never saw one while growing up in the Chicago suburbs with their relatively small yards compared to more rural areas. There are some dwarf persimmon cultivars available (8 to 10 feet tall), but by and large persimmons are a large tree (over 20 feet tall). But there are some self-pollinating cultivars of American persimmon such as ‘Prok’, ‘Meader’, and ‘Yates’. The female trees will bear fruit only when pollinated by the male tree. The native species is dioecious, literally meaning “two houses”, male trees and female trees. When we bought our house in 2005 we considered planting an American persimmon tree but reconsidered when we learned they often reach heights of 50 to 60 feet– we didn’t have the room for it! and is often found growing wild in the landscape. The American Persimmon is native to the eastern U.S. The persimmon grown most often in Illinois is the American Persimmon, Diospyros virginiana. Traditional Korean and Japanese furniture has used the persimmon as well. Persimmon wood is used in golf club heads, pool cues, and shuttles used for weaving cloth. While not as hard as ebony, the older wood does take on a dark color similar to ebony. The persimmon is in the same family as the Ebony tree. After tasting a persimmon, I know the Greeks were right!Īlthough persimmons are usually known for their fruit, the wood is also useful, and among the hardest of North American trees.

Later this became the genus name of persimmon, Diospyros. The ancient Greeks called the persimmon Dios pyros, “the wheat of Zeus” or “the fruit of the Gods”. They were in fact, far better than I ever imagined. By that time I had figured out that persimmons grew on trees. It wasn’t until seven years later, when I worked as an Extension Educator, that I finally tasted a persimmon. I had never even seen one let alone tasted one. I grew up in the suburbs, where my family grew plum, apple, and pear trees, but no one I knew grew persimmons. And as a newly transplanted Chicago-area “city” kid, I was afraid to ask my more rural classmates and reveal my ignorance. I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

One fall evening the local weather report included mention of lots of “spoons” in local persimmons– so the weatherwoman declared we should expect lots of snow in the coming winter. I was a first-year graduate student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I remember the day I first heard anyone talk about persimmons and the weather. Gurney's trademarks are registered trademarks of Gardens Alive! This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and Google Privacy Policy and Terms apply.What is a persimmon? Can I grow them at home? And what does it have to do with forecasting the weather? Please provide a street address as some products are unableĬopyright © 2022 Gardens Alive!, d/b/a Gurney's Seed and Nursery Co. Sorry, we cannot ship products to Hawaii, Alaska, APO/FPO or outside Large orders or large items may be shipped to you In all cases, we choose the fastest, most efficient way to send your
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Trees and shrubs are kept in the nursery row until full dormant for The type of product you order or the weather in our area to yours mayĪnticipated shipping schedule, shifting earlier or later, depending. Due to hotĬonditions, we are unable to ship most plant items in July and August. We continually monitor weatherĮxtreme hot or cold and adjust shipping schedules as needed. Plants will be shipped at the proper planting time for your area of the
