Persimmon origin1/9/2024 ![]() The raw persimmon fruit will soon ripen with the release of ethylene gas from the apple. For quicker results, put them in a closed paper bag with an apple. If you happen to pluck them before they are ripe, leave them at room temperature for a few days. Then, turn it upside down, bite into it, and suck out the soft, sweet pulp. If you decide to eat one of the fruits, first, be sure that they are soft and that they are orange-red in color. Also, there is more uniformity in its fruits, flowers, and growth habits. This practice can be quite beneficial, for if it is grafted onto a mature tree, the seedling can flower and fruit much sooner. An American persimmon can become “self-fruiting,” having both male and female flowers, by grafting a branch from the male tree onto the female. There is also a means to produce persimmon fruit without the necessity of a second tree. Pollination can also be achieved by the wind. Bees bring pollen from the male flower clusters to the larger, solitary female flowers. Persimmon trees are dioecious, meaning that for fruit production, the female tree needs the presence of a male tree somewhere nearby. However, they can also grow in sandy soils, muddy lowlands, and shale. Optimal conditions for growth of American persimmons include a moist, loamy soil that drains well and receives plenty of sunshine. The wood can also be found in pool cues, veneers, flooring, and textile shuttles that carry threads through a loom. ![]() In fact, of the many woods used throughout much of the history of the sport, persimmon was widely preferred. Strong and elastic, persimmon wood was once used in the manufacture of golf club heads before the introduction of metals into the game. It resists wear and is excellent for use in turning. The tree is a hardwood that is heavy and fine-grained. In addition, the bark was chewed to relieve heartburn. Its unique blocky bark and its syrup were used as medicine for conditions of the mouth, throat, and bowel, as well as an effective treatment for indigestion. Many Native American tribes also recognized the health benefits provided by the American persimmon tree. ![]() In the year 1609, he wrote, “The fruit is like a medlar it is first green then yellow, and red when ripe if not ripe, it will drive a man’s mouth awrie with much torment but when it is ripe, it is as delicious as an apricock. This extreme difference in taste was described in the strongest terms by John Smith, one of the first settlers of the Jamestown colony. ![]() When ripe, however, the fruit has a wonderful, sweet taste. The Algonquins produced putchamin, or artificially dried fruit, to minimize the strong, bitter flavor of the unripe persimmon. The seeds can also be turned into something like peanut oil. The Rappahannock tribe mixed its fruits with hot water to make beer. Its leaves were utilized in the making of tea, and coffee was brewed using roasted seeds. Several parts of the tree itself were commonly used in the making of beverages. It was also cooked into a sweet pudding and was even consumed raw. The pulp was blended with cornmeal and ground acorns to make thick soups and breads. Diospyros roughly translates from Latin as “fruit of the gods.”Ĭenturies ago, persimmon fruit was a well-established food source for many Native American tribes. This sentiment was not lost on its early discoverers, nor the botanist who named it. However, what the American lacks in size, it makes up for in flavor. On the other hand, its fruit is barely larger than an olive - tiny in comparison to the racquetball-sized yield of the Asian persimmon. In fact, at a height of 30 to 80 feet, the American stands several times taller than its counterpart. Also known as the common persimmon, this tree is not to be confused with the smaller Asian variety ( Diospyros kaki). This veritable deer magnet is an American persimmon tree ( Diospyros virginiana). All of them cluster together at the foot of one of our trees, where the deer have been feeding on its sweet yellow-orange fruit. With my eyes, I follow multiple sets of whitetail deer tracks that crisscross the white landscape. I gaze through the kitchen window upon the side yard, still blanketed with the first snow of winter. By Mark Hall On a quiet Saturday morning, I roll out of bed and meander downstairs to start my coffee.
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