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Persimmon season

Posted on November 1, 2007November 5, 2007 by Staff


An unusually heavy fruiting Persimmon Tree in the middle of Chapel Hill. Photo by Ken Moore

By Ken Moore

A desperate call two weeks ago: “Ken, that persimmon tree near my office is already dropping fruit and I’m leaving for a couple of days and don’t want them to go to waste!” I assured him I would collect those ‘simmons during his absence. We shared mutual curiosity that the ripe persimmons were dropping before the first frosts this year. So, it must be shorter days rather than frigid nights that trigger fruit ripening.

Across town, my favorite persimmon tree (Diospyros virginiana) is loaded with fruit again this year. But, wow, when I arrived at the base of my friend’s favorite tree, I was stopped in my tracks. The persimmons on his tree hung like clusters of giant grapes.

It was the Wednesday afternoon of UNC fall break and I anticipated being alone. I found several grounds crew members working nearby and they called over to me that they also had claim to some of those fruit on the ground. A few minutes later, a car pulls up and out steps another friend, who for years has been visiting this tree during ’simmon season. It seems this particular tree has more than one watchful guardian.

Most folks use the persimmon pulp for pudding and bread recipes. I simply enjoy the fruit by plucking a ripe one (you’ll never put an unripened one in your mouth a second time!) to enjoy that cinnamon colored pulp while being careful not to swallow the five flat, long-oval, dark-brown seeds. Save the seeds to take home and plant in the ground where you want your very own persimmon trees. Be certain you plant several seeds some feet apart, for you need both a male and female plant to have your very own fruit-

3 thoughts on “Persimmon season”

  1. Pingback: Regional American Foods » Blog Archive » Persimmon season
  2. barry nichols says:
    January 11, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    Once you have more than you’ll eat at a sitting, and you end up freezing them, you’ll need something to do with them. Try:

    http://www.persimmonpudding.com

    BTW, if you have family recipes, family persimmon stories, etc…drop me a line!

    Can’t beat native persimmons for flavor and richness. Nice article. And you’re right…it’s not unusual for a persimmon tree to have a whole mess of “caretakers”!!!

  3. cathy says:
    October 21, 2010 at 6:56 am

    how to I start persimmons from seeds?

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