Diospyros texana "D. texana" favors riparian zones, prairie margins, and rocky slopes. It prefers well-drained, alkaline soils]. The sapwood of Texas persimmon is clear yellow, while the heartwood, found only in very large trees, is black (ebony), like that of the related "D. ebenum". The heartwood is hard and dense and takes a high polish. It is used to make engraving blocks, artwork, and tools. The fleshy berries are edible and sweet when ripe and are used in puddings and custards; they are also relished by many species of birds and mammals. They were traditionally used by Native Americans to make a
Bush tomato is roasted before being eaten or dried. Fruit of "S.orbiculatum" is edible, but the fruit of the large leafed form may be bitter. Fruit of "S. phlomoides" appears to be edible after the removal of seeds and roasting or sundrying. "S. aviculare" contains solasodine, a steroid used in the manufacture of oral contraceptives. Bush tomato The term bush tomato refers to the fruit or entire plants of certain nightshade ("Solanum") species native to the more arid parts of Australia. While they are quite closely related to tomatoes ("Solanum lycopersicum"), they might be even closer relatives of the eggplant ("S. melongena"),