What is an American persimmon?

The American persimmon is a fruit similar to a tomato in size, with shapes that range from oblong and squat to cone-shaped. The fruit is orange and the texture is creamy. It has a sweet and piquant taste that may be mouth-puckering, unless the fruit is fully ripened.

American persimmon trees are common in the eastern portions of the United States. They reach as far west as Kansas. Persimmon trees are large and ornamental with green, glossy leaves that turn red in the fall. When the fruit is ripe, the flesh is soft and the color is uniform. Persimmons contain a plethora of nutritional benefits, including a high vitamin C content, and copper, a mineral the body requires for red blood cell production.