Description
Many have heard of Asian persimmons, but there’s a persimmon native to Turtle Island (North America) that isn’t as widely known. They’ve been cultivated by Indigenous peoples across the east for millennia. These ones make fruits that are sweeter than their Asian cousins, with a taste that some liken to butterscotch. They also are quite mushy when ripe, which is part of why grocery stores don’t carry them. The ones that fall to the ground are usually the best!
The timber is very hard and durable, and is excellent for firewood. The trees can grow alone into towering sentinels, or with others in crowded persimmon thickets. The trees are dioecious meaning some individuals only make pollen and are unable to fruit, while others make fruit, and so you should plant multiple if you want fruit production.
These trees prefer full sun, but can handle a variety of soil conditions. They grow to around 70′ tall.
