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
Diospyros is that of West Nusa Tenggara. The emblem of the Japanese island of Ishigaki is the "Yaeyama kokutan" ("D. ferrea"). The Gold apple ("D. decandra"), called "Trái thị" in Vietnamese, is a tree in the Tấm Cám fable. It is also the provincial tree of Chanthaburi as well as Nakhon Pathom Provinces in Thailand, while the black-and-white ebony ("D. malabarica") is that of Ang Thong Province. The name of the Thai district Amphoe Tha Tako, literally means "District of the "Diospyros" pier", the latter being a popular local gathering spot. Diospyros Diospyros is a genus of over 700 species of