Diospyros virginiana In respect to the power of making heartwood, the persimmon rarely develops any heartwood until it is nearly one hundred years old. This heartwood is extremely close-grained and almost black, resembling ebony (of which it is a true variety). It is a common misconception persimmon fruit needs frost to ripen and soften, called bletting. Some, such as the early-ripening varieties "pieper" and "NC21"(also known as "supersweet"), easily lose astringency and become completely free of it when slightly soft at the touch—these are then very sweet, even in the British climate. On the other hand, some varieties (like the very large
Diospyros leucomelas further from the coast. Diospyros leucomelas Diospyros leucomelas (marble ebony, bois d'ebene marbre or bois d'ebene a veines) is a species of tree endemic to Mauritius. This low, multi-stemmed tree species resembles the related species "Diospyros egrettarum" (and less so "Diospyros revaughanii") in its dark, rectangular, leathery leaves, rounded leaf-base, very short petiole, and short fruits. "Diospyros leucomelas" can be distinguished by the red midribs of its leaves though, which remain into adulthood and become especially prominent on the leaf undersides. Like the coastal "Diospyros egrettarum" it was most common along the eastern coast of Mauritius. However "D.leucomelas" usually grew