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
Flora of Madagascar Population growth and transformation of the landscape was particularly rapid since the mid-20th century. The native flora of Madagascar is used for a variety of purposes by the Malagasy people. Richard Baron, at the end of the 19th century, described more than one hundred native plants used locally and commercially. These include many timber trees such as native ebony ("Diospyros") and rosewood ("Dalbergia") species, the raffia palm "Raphia farinifera" used for fibre, dyeing plants, as well as medicinal and edible plants. The traveller's tree has various uses in the east of Madagascar, chiefly as building material. Madagascar's national instrument "valiha"