The basics

Common Persimmon is a slow-growing, medium-sized deciduous tree that reaches 30-60 ft in height, found primarily in the Southeastern US, though its native range extends from the southern edge of Connecticut to the southern tip of Florida, and west to eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Commonly called ‘American persimmon,’ ‘simmon,’ or ‘possumwood,’ persimmon trees have a rounded crown with oblong leaves that are 2-½ to 6 inches in length and up to 3 inches wide.  The leaf surface is a shiny dark green above and paler below, with smooth edges, turning a vibrant yellow-orange-red in fall. Persimmon flowers are small, bell-shaped, and approximately ½ inch in length. The fruit is soft, roundish and pulpy, up to 1.5 inches in length, and turns bright orange when mature. The bark is dark brown to black, deeply furrowed and blocky. It is very distinct, and often draws comparisons to alligator skin. Persimmon grows in many soil types but thrives in well-drained, loamy soils and is often found in bottomlands, fields, and forest edges.