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Diospyros kaki

Common name:	Persimmon	Family:	Ebenaceae
Author:	Thunb.	Botanical references:	11, 74, 200
Synonyms:	Diospyros chinensis (Blume.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat:	Not known in a truly wild situation, it is found in broad leafed woodland but probably as an escape from cultivation[74, 200].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Diospyrus kaki[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Hung Shih [E], Japanese Persimmon [P], Juan Tsao [E], Kaki [E], Kaki, Chinese Persimmon [MS], Kasemek [E], Pai Shih [E], Persimmon [H], Shih [E],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Ebenales. Ebony family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China; India; Malaya

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 12m by 7m . It is hardy to zone 8 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen in November. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Secondary, Sunny Edge.

Cultivar 'Great Wall': Woodland, Secondary, Sunny Edge.
Cultivar 'Saijo': Woodland, Secondary, Sunny Edge.

Edible Uses

Coffee; Condiment; Fruit; Sweetener.

Fruit - raw or cooked[1, 2, 3, 7, 46, 61]. The fruit has an exquisitely rich flavour when it is very soft and fully ripe (almost at the point of going bad), but the fruit of many cultivars is very harsh and astringent before then[K]. In Britain, the fruit needs to be harvested whilst it is still very hard. This is done very late in the season (in December or even January if possible), it is then stored in a cool but frost-free place until very soft and fully ripe[K]. The fruit can also be used in pies, cakes, bread, desserts etc[183]. It contains 25% sugars[74]. A fuller nutritional analysis is available[218]. The fruit can also be dried for later use[183]. The fruit is about 7.5cm in diameter[200].
The peel of the fruit can be powdered and used as a sweetener[183].
The leaves are used to improve the flavour of pickled radishes[183].
The roasted seeds are a coffee substitute[183, 240].

Composition

Fruit (Dry weight): In grammes per 100g weight of food:
Water: 0 Calories: 350 Protein: 3.6 Fat: 1.5 Carbohydrate: 91 Fibre: 7.7 Ash: 4
In milligrammes per 100g weight of food:
Calcium: 80 Phosphorus: 100 Iron: 8 Sodium: 20 Potassium: 950 VitaminA: 5600 Thiamine: 0.2 Riboflavin: 0.15 Niacin: 0.9 VitaminC: 75
Source: [218]

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Anthelmintic; Antitussive; Antivinous; Appetizer; Astringent; Demulcent; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Hypotensive; Laxative; Sialagogue; Stomachic; Styptic.

Appetizer, sialagogue[116, 176, 178].
The stem bark is astringent and styptic[218].
The fruit is said to have different properties depending on its stage of ripeness, though it is generally antitussive, astringent, laxative, nutritive and stomachic[218, 238].
The fresh fully ripe fruit is used raw in the treatment of constipation and haemorrhoids[238] and when cooked is used to treat diarrhoea[238]..
The dried ripe fruit is used in the treatment of bronchial complaints[238], whilst when ground into a powder it is used to treat dry coughs[238].
Juice from the unripe fruit is used in the treatment of hypertension[218, 238].
The fruits, picked green and ripened in containers with the leaves, become very sweet and are considered to be antifebrile, antivinous and demulcent[218].
The fruits are also peeled and then exposed to sunlight by day and dew by night. They become encrusted with a white powder and are then considered to be anthelmintic, antihaemorrhagic, antivinous, expectorant, febrifuge and restorative[218].
The peduncle is used to treat coughs and hiccups[218].
The calyx is used to treat hiccups[176].

Other Uses

Cosmetic; Wood.

The pulp of unripe fruits is used in cosmetics to make face-packs because of its firming qualities[7].
Wood - hard and durable with a beautiful grain. Used for making fine furniture[266].

Cultivation details

Prefers a good deep loamy soil in sun or light shade but succeeds in most soils[11, 132, 200]. Dislikes very acid or wet and poorly drained soils[200]. Requires a sheltered position[200].
Dormant plants are quite hardy in Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -14°c[74], but they require warmer summers than are normally experienced in Britain in order to ripen their fruit and wood[3]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. A warm sunny wall improves the chance of producing ripe fruit[3] and trees fruit freely when grown under glass[1]. Fruits are frequently produced outdoors at Kew[11, K]. A tree seen in a open position with afternoon shade at Kew in November 1993 (after a cool summer) had about 200 almost ripe fruits around 8cm in diameter[K]. The same tree, after a fairly warm summer in 1996, had a large quantity of fruit just about ready for harvesting in the middle of December[K].
Trees produce a long taproot and should be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible[200]. The young trees require some winter protection for their first winter or two[K].
The persimmon is widely cultivated for its edible fruit in warm temperate areas of the world, especially in Japan and China, there are many named varieties[183]. Some cultivars, such as 'Fuyu', lack the usual astringency and can be eaten whilst still firm, though they develop a richer flavour if allowed to become soft[183, 200]. These non-astringent forms require a warmer climate and do not ripen in cooler areas[183]. The astringent cultivars are somewhat hardier and ripen well in cooler climates than the non-astringent forms[183]. The fruit colours better and is sweeter in warmer areas but in hot conditions has a poor texture and deep black spots develop[183]. If allowed to become very ripe (almost to the point of going rotten), they develop a better flavour than non-astringent forms[183].
Dioecious, but the female tree can produce seedless fruits in the absence of a pollinator. However, unfertilized fruit tends to be smaller and more astringent[200]. This astringency is due to the high content of tannin but once the fruit is fully ripe it loses this astringency and becomes sweet[132]. If fertilized fruit is required, then growing one male for every 8 - 10 females is usually adequate[238].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[113, 200]. Stored seed requires a period of cold-stratification and should be sown as early in the year as possible[78]. It usually germinates in 1 - 6 months at 15°c[175]. Pot up the young seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle into fairly deep pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Give them some protection from winter cold for their first year or two outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[200].
Layering in spring[200].

Cultivars

'Saijo': A small, elongated fruit, astringent when not fully ripe, but becomes sweet with an excellent flavour if allowed to ripen fully[183]. The fruits are usually seedless and store well[183]. The dried fruit is very attractive[183]. A medium-size tree, it bears consistently and tolerates temperatures down to at least -23°c[183].
'Great Wall' 'Atoma': The small to medium size fruit is up to 6cm in diameter, the flesh is dry and very sweet, but astringent if not fully ripe[183]. The fruit ripens in mid-Autumn[183]. A relatively slow-growing, upright tree, it is very cold hardy and bears heavy crops every second year[183]. It is recommended for colder areas, though it also does well in Florida[183].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Diospyrus kaki (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

References for the family Ebenaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[3] Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7
A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[116] Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986
A small booklet packed with information.

[132] Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.
Lovely pictures, a very readable book.

[175] Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp.

[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

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