{"id":10969,"date":"2021-11-29T15:24:11","date_gmt":"2021-11-29T15:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=10969"},"modified":"2021-11-29T15:25:21","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T15:25:21","slug":"can-you-eat-wild-persimmon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/can-you-eat-wild-persimmon\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Eat Wild Persimmon?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yes, you can eat the fruits of a wild persimmon tree. But don\u2019t try to do so before they are fully ripe, as they have a highly astringent taste that will dry out your mouth. This is due to the high tannin level of the wild persimmon trees. Native persimmons are also called \u201cDear Candy\u201d<\/em> and are an excellent way of attracting deer onto your land.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Persimmon Trees Grow Wild?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Do<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are two types of persimmon trees growing wild in the United States. The common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) and the Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana). Persimmons are members of the Ebony family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Texas persimmon<\/a> grows in central and southern Texas and southwestern Oklahoma. It is endemic to the Edwards Plateau, the Rio Grande Plains, and the Trans-Pecos region in its southeastern corner. It is also found in parts of Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The common persimmon is native in the central and eastern U.S from Connecticut to Florida, Oklahoma, Kansas, and throughout North Carolina, except for the high mountain areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do You Identify A Wild Persimmon Tree?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a variety of ways to identify a wild persimmon tree:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing Habit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Persimmon can typically be found growing under the canopy of other larger trees. In this habitat, they tend to form large shrubs, but where they are out in the open can grow into trees of between 40 to 70 feet in height.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has a symmetrical oval form and dense foliage which grows in the spring. The tree then loses its leaves in the fall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tree Color<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As they are members of the ebony family, they have dark trunks and branches ranging from grey\/brown to black. The leaves also tend to have a darker green color than many other trees. The leaves may also be red, orange, or even purple in fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bark<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The bark of the tree is heavily scaled and peels off throughout the year. According to<\/a> the University of Florida\u2019s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences the under bark, when exposed to the air, will take on a yellowish hue, although this can vary in shade.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The leaves are oval and measure two to three inches wide and four to six inches in length. We will look at these in more detail below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flowers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Only female persimmon trees will bear fruit. The flowers appear on both sexes in the late spring and early summer. They are tiny with four waxy yellow petals that can range from creamy yellow to a deep orangey-yellow, depending on the type of tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the petals unfurl, the flower takes on a bell-like appearance before opening up as it matures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fruits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The fruits will begin to form and are green, to begin with. They grow steadily into a rounded form of about 2.5 inches wide. As they mature, the fruits turn orange. This can vary in shade from a pale orange to a deep reddish-orange. They don\u2019t fully ripen until the outer skin wrinkles, and the fruit becomes soft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Persimmons often grow in upland sites and valleys, in abandoned fields and clearings. They are regularly found among other species such as oaks, sycamores, hickories, yellow poplars, sugar maples, and loblolly pines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

They adapt to many different soil conditions, and although they prefer it to be moist, they will also grow in rocky, sandy, or clay soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like several other fruit trees such as plum or cherry, persimmons send out suckers from their roots, so you will often see smaller trees emerging from older ones’ roots.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this video, you can see how to identify a wild persimmon tree:\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wi6GTsBDUVs<\/a>