can you eat wild persimmon

Yes, you can eat the fruits of a wild persimmon

tree. But don’t 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.

Full Answer

Do you peel a persimmon before eating?

Yes, you can eat persimmon peel. If you want you can go ahead and bite right into a ripe, juicy persimmon. Not only is it safe to do so, but you will also find it quite easy as the skin is not all that tough. However, some people choose to peel their persimmons. It could be a personal preference, or because most of the tannic acid is in the peel.

Are persimmons bad for You?

The powerful combination of nutrients found in persimmons makes them an excellent choice for boosting heart health. Persimmons contain flavonoid antioxidants, including quercetin and kaempferol. Consuming a diet high in flavonoids has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease in several studies.

Are you supposed to eat persimmons hard or soft?

The one you can eat like an apple—Fuyu—is short, squat, and firm. The persimmon you have to ripen until it is squishy, and then you eat or use the pulp—Hachiya—looks like a large orange acorn. Persimmons are full of vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber.

What is a persimmon and how do you eat it?

Eat the fruit slices raw like an apple, add to a salad or cheese plate, or use in baked desserts. You can also freeze persimmons to enjoy later; the best way to preserve them is to puree the inner fruit, then freeze. When ripe, hachiya persimmons might be soft enough to peel and freeze as-is.

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Are wild persimmon safe to eat?

The sweet fruit will have a honey, apricot and orange flavor. The fruit can be eaten right off the tree, turned into fine jams and jellies, or even fermented into a sweet golden wine. And while the food uses are great, there are other things you can do with this small tree.

How do you know when a wild persimmon is ripe?

So begin picking persimmons in the early fall when the days are still a bit warm, and the fruit is hard but fully colored. Let them ripen at room temp in a cool, dry area until they are soft. Non-astringent types of persimmon are ready to harvest when they a have a deep flushed apricot hue with pink overtones.

Are there poisonous persimmons?

Are persimmons dangerous or are persimmons good for you? Believe it or not, but persimmons have killed people in the past and have sent hundreds to the hospital. It's not because they're toxic or poisonous either.

How do you process wild persimmons?

3:567:06How to Process Wild Persimmons - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWater. And let them soak for a few minutes just to make sure that they're nice and clean and then I'MoreWater. And let them soak for a few minutes just to make sure that they're nice and clean and then I'll drain them and then we will start I did not need.

What does wild persimmons look like?

1:078:45Wild Persimmons (Foraging and Cooking with them) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThese trees tend to be really tall up to 80 feet tall. And kind of a slender trunk. And their barkMoreThese trees tend to be really tall up to 80 feet tall. And kind of a slender trunk. And their bark has kind of a distinctive pattern if you can kind of see behind me both of these are persimmons here.

Do persimmon trees grow wild?

American Persimmon Tree Facts American persimmon trees, also called common persimmon trees, are easy to grow, moderate-sized trees that reach about 20 feet (6 m.) tall in the wild. They can be grown in many regions and are hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 5.

Why does my stomach hurt after eating persimmons?

Persimmons contain large amounts of soluble tannin, which may interact with gastric acid to form a conglomerate that is harder than other phytobezoars.

What should you not eat with persimmon?

In Chinese medicine, crab and persimmon are considered "cold foods", therefore they cannot be eaten together. From the perspective of modern medicine, crab, fish and shrimp contains high level of protein and thus under the effect of the tannic acid, it is easy to solidify into blocks, namely, stomach persimmon stone.

Where do wild persimmons grow?

Also known as Eastern persimmon, possumwood, American ebony, or butterwood, the American or common persimmon is native to the southern and eastern regions of the US stretching from Florida to Connecticut and Iowa to Texas. They also grow native in parts of California and Utah.

How do you preserve wild persimmons?

The most common method of preserving astringent and non-astringent persimmons is to dry them. Dehydrating astringent persimmons also removes the astringency. To dry persimmons in an electric food dehydrator, select firm persimmons and wash them under running water, patting them dry with a paper towel.

How do you puree wild persimmons?

3:365:51Harvesting Persimmons and making Persimmon Pulp - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo a food mill. It's got a bunch of holes in the bottom it's basically gonna smash all theMoreSo a food mill. It's got a bunch of holes in the bottom it's basically gonna smash all the persimmons pulp through the bottom it's gonna leave the skins and the seeds. Up here in the top of the pan.

Do green persimmons ripen off the tree?

Although persimmons will ripen after they are picked, they need to be fully ripened to remove their astringency. You can hasten their ripening and remove their astringency by covering them with uncooked dry rice for three to five days or by freezing them for one day, reports the University of Florida IFAS Extension.

What month are persimmons ripe?

The fruits ripen all autumn long, which means that daily yields can be small, but also that persimmon season can span mid-September to December.

How do you ripen a persimmon quickly?

Unripe persimmons can take a few days to ripen— keep them at room temperature until ripe. You can hasten ripening by putting them in a closed paper bag at room temperature with an apple (apples release ethylene, a gas that helps fruit ripen faster).

What do ripe persimmons look like?

When they are orange, they're ripe, and can be eaten like an apple. You don't have to peel them, but I do. Just cut out the crown, peel them or not, and cut into wedges to eat. Once in a while you may find a dime-sized brown seed, just remove.

How Do You Eat A Persimmon?

Now, if you already have your fruit and know whether it’s a fuyu or hachiya, here are some tips for how to eat a persimmon:

What is the best way to eat persimmons?

4. Hachiya persimmons are best when they are mushy. Prepare them like you would raw avocado. Cut the persimmon in half and scoop out the soft flesh from each half. Or, cut off the top, like a soft boiled egg, and eat the gelantinous flesh from the remaining “bowl.”

How to make a fuyu persimmon?

2. Cut off the green leaves. Using a knife, cut off the leaf-like flower and stem. 3. Fuyu persimmons are best when they are firm. Prepare them like you would raw apples. Cut the persimmon in half, from the stem to the tail, to split the core into two halves.

Why are persimmons hard to grow?

Second, because many cultivars are too soft for commercial shipping. And third, because the unripe fruits of some cultivars are considered astringent persimmons.

What are the different types of persimmons?

In the United States, there are generally two types of commercially available persimmons, and they are quite different: 1 Fuyus (non-astringent) are flat, round and best eaten while still firm, like an apple. 2 Hachiyas (astringent) are elongated with a pointy tip and should only be eaten when fully ripe and quite soft.

When are persimmons ripe?

How To Tell When Persimmons Are Ripe. Persimmons are an autumnal fruit that is found midsummer through late fall. When they’re at peak ripeness, not much compares to eating a persimmon fresh and unadorned.

What is Sharon fruit?

Persimmons, sometimes known as Sharon Fruit, are now one of my favorite fruits, and I look forward to their arrival in farmers’ markets each fall. Try one and I’m confident you will become a devotee, too.

How to harvest persimmons?

The best way to harvest American persimmons is to find a wild tree and check on it every fall for free fruit. Gather the fruit as it falls. Trees will usually drop fruit continuously for 3-6 weeks. If they are not fully ripe when you gather them, just leave them on the counter in a bowl to ripen. There are plenty of recipes for wild persimmon pudding, bread, dried fruit, ice cream, etc., in fact whole websites are devoted to persimmons, http://www.persimmonpudding.com and persimmon recipes, http://www.epersimmons.com/recipes.htm Persimmons freeze well, but their seeds can be a nuisance if kept this way. There is a name variety of American persimmon worthy of planting, Diospyrus ‘ Meader’. It produces large, tasty, seedless persimmons even as a young tree. Local garden centers can order Meader persimmons for fall or spring planting seasons.

How tall are Kaki Persimmons?

Kaki Persimmons are smaller trees usually less than twenty feet tall and make great home landscape trees. They have large droopy, tropical looking leaves and gorgeous fall color. They are easy to grow and have few or no pest problems. Their fruit are much larger, about the size of a tennis ball and vary in shape with the name variety. They are very orange when ripe and hang onto the tree after the leaves have fallen, looking sometimes like little pumpkins hanging in the tree.

What are some of the best fruits to grow in the Piedmont?

My top favorite easy-to-grow edible fruits for the NC Piedmont are figs, muscadines, blueberries, blackberries and persimmons. Of these edibles the one most people have the least exposure to are persimmons. There are two species of persimmons that can be grown here, the native, wild persimmon, Diospyrus virginiana, and the Asian or Kaki persimmon, Diospyrus kaki. The American persimmon is a medium to tall, 30-50 foot tree that bears copious small persimmon fruits that ripen in October or November. They are relished by all sorts of wild animals including raccoons, possums and deer. People have enjoyed the fruit since before recorded history but only have to learn once that the fruit must be dead-ripe (I mean melt in your fingers ripe) before they are to be eaten. But boy are they sweet and delicious! They usually have several large seeds, so they are best eaten out-of-doors, just spit the seeds out as you go.

Can you eat persimmon before it's dead?

Eat a wild persimmon before it is dead ripe and you’ll learn first-hand what tannins will feel like in your mouth, like the insides of your mouth were made out of dried cardboard, as if you had no moisture in your mouth anymore. This is astringency. Occasionally you will sense a bit of astringency in a ripe persimmon but it will pass quickly.

Is kaki persimmon astringent?

Kaki persimmons varieties can be astringent-types and non-astringent-types. Garden centers most often sell the non-astringent, Fuyu-type kakis which I think is regrettable because the astringent, Hachiya-types are sweeter and richer and juicier. Like the American persimmon, the astringent, Hachiya-type kakis need to be so soft that the flesh is the consistency of jelly. The papery skin holds it all together like a water balloon.

What color are the leaves on a persimmon tree?

The fall leaves of the persimmon feature shades of yellow and red. Persimmon trees are low-growing, rarely more than 10 feet high, and very visible in the understory. The fruit hangs like ornaments on a Christmas tree, in bright, festive orbs.

What do deer eat?

The deer eat most of the lower fruit and groundfalls. Raccoons, opossums, and birds eat the fruit higher up.

What is the best diet for game meat?

Good diet is key to good game meat, and rural lore is that the very best diet for those two “critters” is persimmons and hickory nuts.

What are the two main indigenous fruits?

Wild persimmons and pawpaws are the two main indigenous fruits one will seldom, if ever, see in markets.

Do persimmons ripen faster?

Although folk lore says the frost sweetens them, they really just take longer than any other fruit to fully ripen. Prior to becoming fully ripe, persimmons are among the most bitter and astringent foods known to man!

Can you cook wild persimmons?

To do this, you push the fruit from some kind of strainer and use the pulp. It is impossible to remove all trace of bitterness from wild persimmons, but processed this way, it is no more bitter than chocolate, but sweet and mild. It needs the spices and flavors of the season to bring out its full flavor.

Can you use persimmons for possum?

The classic Appalachian roast possum with sweet potatoes uses persimmons halved and seeded—but they can be prepared in the same way as one would for persimmon bread , using the pulp as a glaze for the meat. The critter is generally soaked overnight in a brine of water, apple cider vinegar, and salt to “take out the gaminess,” but I know many people skip this step.

What was the significance of wild persimmons?

John B. Hood out of Alabaman toward Nashville in November 1864. Milton’s son recalls about his father struggles: “After the fall of Atlanta, we marched northward into Tennessee over frozen ground and how cold it was! Our shoes were worn out and our feet were torn and bleeding …Our rations were a few grains of parched corn.

How to store persimmons in winter?

A common practice was to dry the fruits in the sun and store them for winter use. The Indian method was to spread a quarter-inch of pulp on a peeled log and let it remain until sun and air-dried to the consistency of tough leather. It is said that this persimmon leather could be kept almost indefinitely if one managed to protect it from dampness and mold. The tree’s bark and syrup were often used for their medicinal properties to calm sore throats and mouth ailments.

What fruit was used by Native Americans?

Wild persimmons were used as a staple by the Native Americans and we should learn to appreciate and use these underrated wild fruits.

How long to bake persimmon bread?

Turn the bread dough into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for one hour or until done, testing the center of the loaf with a pick. Turn it out on a wire rack to cool. My grandmother used to freeze persimmon bread for later use as it freezes well and it lasts for a long time in the freezer.

What is the color of persimmons?

The fruit of the persimmon trees is a juice berry containing one to eight seeds, globular in shape and pale orange in color, often red-checked. Wild persimmons will turn yellowish brown after the first frost.

When do persimmons ripen?

While sometimes the fruits ripen early in the fall, there are times when you must wait for the first frost if you don’t want to harvest bitter persimmons. The new forager might get confused regarding the best time to forage for this fall delicacy and most of them make the mistake of eating wild persimmons before they’re ripe. If you want to be sure you’re not eating under-ripe persimmons, you are better off if you wait for the fruits to being to drop off the tree.

Can you eat persimmons raw?

There is no doubt that wild persimmons are wonderful eaten raw out of the hand and it’s an enjoyable reward especially for the young foragers. However, if you want to cook with wild persimmons, you will need to remove the seeds. The pulp obtained for persimmons can be used in cakes, breads, jelly and jam, and any other recipe that requires pulp from wild persimmons. You can also freeze the pulp for later use if you have a vacuum sealer.

Why are persimmons good for baking?

Persimmons are good for baking and brewing because they are high in sugar content. When ripe, Bordelon explained, they are about 30 percent sugar. “Their high sugar content also makes them easier to deal with post-harvest,” he continued. “Lots of people gather them in baskets and store them in a cool basement or barn where they can keep for weeks.”

What is the name of the persimmon in Indiana?

Its scientific name, Diospyros virginiana, translates roughly as “divine fruit.”.

How to preserve persimmons?

Our favorite way to preserve persimmons is to put them through a food mill like this one and freeze the pulp for winter baking.

When should I harvest persimmons?

Local lore and many internet resources tell us that you should never harvest persimmons until after the first frost. In my experience, I have found this untrue. I have successfully harvested native persimmons for the past three years before a frost. However, to avoid any astringent or chalky flavor, you want to harvest only the most ripe and fresh persimmons. You will know they are ripe and ready to eat because the persimmons will be so soft that they almost crack their skins! Gently pick them off the tree, give the tree a gentle shake, or pick intact ripe persimmons off the ground; if you use too much pressure, you will inadvertently turn them to mush!

Where are persimmons native to?

The Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and lower Midwest states are blessed with the native American Persimmon, Diospyros virginiana, whose genus means “fruit of the gods”. They are smaller than the Asian persimmons that you often see sold at natural food stores or in Asian markets, and their flavor is slightly different – perhaps a bit more musky and less sweet; I recently read of someone describing them as “pumpkin meets honey.” The trees are prolific and native to this area. In fact, we planted about 15 trees this year, one of which has just started to bear fruit.

Is persimmon astringent or chalky?

Persimmons are one of my favorite fall fruits, perhaps because they as such a special, seasonal treat. I know many people are put off by the astringency or chalkiness of persimmons, but here’s the deal: a truly ripe persimmon is neither astringent nor chalky, just sweet, smooth, mellow, and delicious. The key is to eating them when they are really, ...

Can you eat persimmons in pancakes?

Persimmon fruit leather. Adding the puree to pancakes. Or you can just eat the puree as is. It’s that good. If you live in a region where American persimmons grow, I highly encourage you to seek some out! They are one of my absolute favorite fruits, and true seasonal treat.

Can you use persimmons in pumpkin pudding?

I like to enjoy persimmons in the classic Persimmon Pudding (using this recipe as a starting point) and in other baked goods such as quick breads and muffins. I usually look for pumpkin recipes and sub out the pumpkin puree for my persimmon puree. You might also like to try the following:

How to harvest persimmons?

To harvest them, cut the fruit from the tree with either hand pruners or a sharp knife when harvesting persimmon fruit. Leave a bit of the stem attached. Don’t stack them in a basket, as they easily bruise. Lay the harvested fruit in a shallow tray in a single layer. Allow the fruit to ripen at room temperature or store in ...

When are persimmons ready to eat?

Non-astringent types of persimmon are ready to harvest when they a have a deep flushed apricot hue with pink overtones. They are ripe and ready to eat at harvest unlike astringent persimmons. While you can let them soften up, this doesn’t improve the flavor.

How long does it take for persimmons to ripen?

Lay the harvested fruit in a shallow tray in a single layer. Allow the fruit to ripen at room temperature or store in the refrigerator for up to a month or frozen for up to eight months. If you wish to hasten the ripening process, store the persimmons in a bag with a ripe apple or banana.

How much sugar is in persimmons?

Persimmons, when perfectly ripe, contain about 34% fruit sugar. Notice I said when perfectly ripe. When they are less than perfectly ripe, they are terribly bitter, so knowing when to pick persimmons at their peak is essential. How do you know when persimmons are ripe?

Can persimmons be stored in the refrigerator?

Non-astringent persimmons can be stored at room temp, albeit for a shorter period of time than their wild cousins. The same is true of storing in the refrigerator. Printer Friendly Version. This article was last updated on 04/02/21.

Is persimmon astringent or astringent?

Oriental persimmons are a little larger, the size of a peach, and are not nearly as hardy as the native varieties. Oriental persimmons are of two types: astringent and non-astringent.