The wild persimmon, Diospyros virginiana, is a native deciduous tree of the eastern United States valued for its distinct features and edible fruit. Identifying this species involves recognizing its unique year-round characteristics and seasonal markers. This guide provides the details necessary to confidently distinguish the American persimmon tree in its natural habitat.
Where to Find Wild Persimmons
The American persimmon is widely distributed across the eastern half of the country, ranging from southern Connecticut to Florida and extending west through Kansas and Texas. This tree is adaptable, thriving in various conditions from moist bottomlands to poor, dry soils. Wild persimmons are often located in disturbed areas, such as old fields, along fencerows, and at the edges of woodlands.
The tree typically grows to a medium height, between 30 and 60 feet tall, and has an irregular or oval-rounded crown. This species often spreads through root suckers, resulting in small groves or thickets. Searching these common disturbed habitats is the best first step to locating the species.
Year-Round Identification: Bark and Foliage
The bark of a mature wild persimmon is its most recognizable and unique identifier, allowing for easy location even during winter dormancy. The trunk develops a thick, dark gray or black covering that is deeply furrowed into regular, blocky plates. This distinctive pattern is often likened to the texture of alligator hide or a checkerboard.
The leaves are helpful for identification during the growing season, appearing alternately along the stem. Each leaf is simple, oval to oblong, and has a smooth (entire) margin, typically measuring between 2.5 and 6 inches long. The foliage is a lustrous dark green on the upper surface and paler green underneath, providing a noticeable contrast. In autumn, the leaves change color to shades of yellow, orange, or reddish-purple before dropping.
Seasonal Markers: Flowers and Fruit
The appearance of flowers and fruit provides definitive confirmation of the species, occurring from late spring through fall. The small, bell-shaped flowers bloom in late spring to early summer and are creamy white to greenish-yellow. Wild persimmon trees are usually dioecious, meaning individual trees produce either male or female flowers. Male flowers grow in small clusters, while female flowers appear singly on the branches.
Only female trees, once pollinated, produce the fruit, which is botanically a large berry ranging from 0.75 to 2 inches in diameter. The fruit is initially green, ripening to yellowish-orange or reddish-orange in mid to late fall. A specific identification feature is the four-lobed calyx, the leafy structure at the base of the flower, which persists and enlarges around the base of the developing fruit. The fruit must be fully soft and often mushy to be edible, as unripe persimmons contain high levels of tannin that make them astringent.