Japanese persimmon
Diospyros kaki L.f.
Also known as: Persimmon, Kaki
Family: Ebenaceae
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The persimmons remain hanging on the tree, shiny and orange, long after all the leaves have fallen in autumn — a characteristic sight in persimmon orchards in winter.
🍃 Leaves
Large, oval, leathery, glossy green, turning orange-red in autumn
🌸 Flowers
Small, yellowish, inconspicuous, hidden beneath the foliage
🍎 Fruits
Large bright orange berry (persimmon), fleshy and sweet when fully ripe, persisting on the tree after leaf fall
🪵 Bark
Grey, cracking into small square plates with age
🗺️ Distribution
Native to China; grown in southern France and in mild climates
🐝 Value for pollinators
Inconspicuous but nectar-rich flowering, visited by bees
✂️ Horticultural uses
Ornamental fruit tree, also valued for its bright orange fruits remaining on the tree in winter after the leaves have fallen
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Ripe fruit edible; the unripe fruit is very astringent (rich in tannins) and harsh in the mouth, harmless to humans but unpleasant. In animals (dogs, horses), eating large quantities of unripe fallen fruit from the ground can form bezoars (digestive blockage) — keep animals away from fallen fruit.
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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