American Persimmon, Diospyros virginiana

Northern Neck Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society

November 2022 POM

By Betsy Washington

Everything about the November Plant of the Month is distinctive and picturesque. This small to mid-sized tree typically grows to about 35 - 60’ with crooked artistic branches, broad rounded crown, and pendulous lower branches - similar in structure to a Japanese Bonsai. A member of the Ebony Family, American Persimmons have very dark nearly black bark broken into distinctive thick chunky, square blocks, divided by deep furrows, and sometimes described as pebbly or like alligator hide. In fact, it is easy to recognize this tree just by the bark alone. The leaves are also distinctive - oblong and glossy dark green up to 6” long. In fall, they turn handsome red, burgundy to orange or yellow, but this can be variable depending on the tree and weather.

Persimmons are dioecious meaning that there are separate female and male trees so to produce the tasty fruit you will need both. Small extremely fragrant bell-shaped creamy white to yellowish flowers bloom in May and attract a variety of pollinators, including several specialist bees, and the blooms are an important nectar source for honeybees.

The distinctive fruit ripen in fall and are 1 to 1.5” in diameter, turning orange blushed with red. When ripe, the soft, sweet flesh can be eaten straight from the tree. In fact, the botanical name, Diospyros means “fruit or food of the gods.” But beware! Unripe fruit is extremely astringent, instantly drying and puckering your mouth. Ripe fruit should be soft with a pinkish - orange tint and a frosted appearance. The orange fruits often remain on the trees well after the leaves have fallen making a stunning sight against the deep blue sky. The fruit has a high sugar content and excellent when used in desserts such as puddings, sherbets, or custards. These fruits, as you may well imagine, have high wildlife value and are eagerly eaten by birds, small mammals, deer, foxes, raccoons, and black bear giving rise to common names like Possumwood, Possum Apple and Sugar Plum.

American Persimmon is the larval host plant for the beautiful Luna moth and the Regal Moth which can reach up to 6” wide. Their caterpillar, the Hickory Horned Devil (Citheronia regalis), are equally spectacular maturing to an eye-catching turquoise green with branched, black-tipped orange horns and can be nearly the size of a hotdog. They look ferocious but are harmless.

American Persimmons are found across much of eastern and central North America ranging from Florida north to southern Connecticut and west to Texas and Iowa and in nearly every county in Virginia. This adaptable tree is virtually pest free and grows in a tremendous variety of habitats from dry, sterile, sandy flatwoods, to river bottoms, to rocky hillsides and on “virtually any soil”.

Growing best in moist, well-drained, sandy soils in full sun to partial shade, grand old Persimmon have reached well over 100’ high in these conditions. Persimmons have a deep tap root and are very difficult to transplant at larger sizes. They naturally tend to sucker from the roots when disturbed and can form attractive colonies along fences or hedge rows. They can be readily maintained as a single trunk tree by removing any suckers or simply mowing regularly.

Indigenous Americans have cultivated the American Persimmons for centuries. The inner bark and unripe fruit have been used to treat fevers, diarrhea, hemorrhaging and an indelible ink was made from the fruit. The heartwood is nearly black and extremely hard and has been used to make golf clubs, billiard cues, and loom shuttles.

This distinctive tree is perfect for many gardens uses including as a specimen tree, in edible gardens, children’s gardens, pollinator or butterfly gardens, winter gardens, or for naturalizing and colonizing difficult sites. Invite this charming tree into your garden or enjoy it along country roads, fences, or woodland edges. In late fall when the fruit has ripened sufficiently, pucker up and try some “fruit of the gods”.

Photo Captions – All Photos by Betsy Washington

1. Persimmon Fruit

2. Persimmon Bark

3. Persimmon Fruit & Fall Color

Plant of the Month November 2022: American Persimmon