Diospyros Kaki (by species)

Description

The persimmons, also called lotus, (Diospyros kaki) is the economically most important Diospyros, which is cultivated for its fruits. The persimmon is native to the Himalayas and in the mountains of Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, Korea and Japan. Worldwide, the persimmon is grown in the subtropics and in the tropics higher than 1000 meters. It is the national fruit of Japan, but there are reports that the origin of the persimmon lies in China.

It is a deciduous, monoecious or dioecious tree up to 15 m high with a rounded, open crown. The pomology of Diospyros persimmon is very complex. To begin with, a persimmon is parthenocarp, which means that fruits are formed even without pollination, which of course do not contain seeds.
Persimmon fruits, even when they are orange-red in colour, contain a lot of tannin, which gives them a tart taste. The fruit must therefore ripen and become soft: this will completely remove the tannins and make the fruit sweet and aromatic. The seeds in the persimmon secrete the substance acetaldehyde, which breaks down the tannins.