Fall Means Persimmon Puddin' Time

To many country folk, fall means that the persimmons are getting ripe, time to gather the sweet, pulpy fruit, and make a large pan of persimmon pudding. But you'd better try to get to the persimmons before all the woodland critters beat you to it. Raccoons, foxes, squirrels, wild turkeys, bob white quail, possums, coyotes, and even deer feast on it. Domestic animals like cattle, love it as well. Numerous birds also relish persimmons. I have observed catbirds, mocking birds, and even cedar waxwings, as they pecked at the sweet, ripened fruit.

The common persimmon, Diospyros viginiana, is a Native American tree in the southeastern United States. The black persimmon, Dyospyrus texana, is found growing in the southern half of Texas, of course. Diospyros is from the Greek, and means "fruit of the gods," and many country people would agree with the meaning. The Algonquin Indians called the fruit "pessamin," or "pasiminian" and are credit with its common name, and the Cherokee Indians are the ones who first introduced persimmon sweet bread to the Europeans.

Persimmon pulp can be used in many different baked goods besides pudding, like sweet bread, and cookies, and it makes a delicious ice cream topping, candy treat, or even wine. And persimmon seeds can be roasted, ground, and used as a hot beverage, reminiscent of coffee! Although in America, only 2 varieties of persimmon are common, many warmer states now grow the Asian persimmon, especially commercially. In many warmer parts of the world, over 200 kinds of persimmons have been documented.

Although the wood of the persimmon is very hard and shock resistant and beautifully grained, most timber producers consider it a weed tree. That's because the persimmon tree rarely reaches commercial quality, although under ideal conditions, it can grow to 60 feet high and be 18 inches in diameter. When it does, it has been used to make golf club heads, rifle stocks, spindles, and some furniture. But most of them attain a height of only about 20 feet, and are used only for their fruit, by folks and wild critters in the country.

Gathering persimmons in the fall is a fun ritual, especially for kids. It's best to get the ones that have already fallen to the ground, or ones that fall off the tree easily, when shaking the tree. If the fruit falls to the ground easily, it is ripe. Usually, its best to wait until the first frost has kissed the persimmons, as the frost takes away their puckering quality, making them as sweet as honey. Then wash and separate the pulp from the seed, and use in delectable deserts, or freeze for later use.

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