Persimmon Persimmon The persimmon (sometimes spelled persimon) is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus "Diospyros". The most widely cultivated of these is the Asian or Japanese persimmon, "Diospyros kaki". "Diospyros" is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-persimmon species of the genus are grown for ebony timber. The word "Diospyros" comes from the ancient Greek words "dios" ("δῐος") and "pyron" ("πῡρον"). A popular etymology construed this as "divine fruit", or as meaning "wheat of Zeus" or "God's pear" and "Jove's fire". The dio-, as shown by the short vowel 'i' has nothing
Diospyros mabacea 15 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide. Paler below than on top of the leaf. Leaves alternate on the stem as is the case with other "Diospyros" trees. Small flowers occur in September. Red fruit appears between January and March. Similar to a cherry tomato of various shapes. Sometimes round or egg shaped, long and thin, or other times flat like a pumpkin. Up to four and a half cm long. The flesh is whitish, dry, without taste and unpalatable. Fruit usually contains between two and six seeds. Seeds are brown, curved and triangular in cross section. The specific