A nonastringent persimmon can be eaten when it is crisp as an apple. These cultivars need hot summers, and the fruit might retain some astringency when grown in cooler regions. The shape of the fruit varies by cultivar from spherical to acorn to flattened or squarish. The size can be as little as a few ounces to more than a pound. The entire fruit is edible except for the seed and calyx.
Alternate bearing is common.
This can be partially overcome by thinning the fruit or moderately pruning after a light-crop year. Astringency can also be removed by treating with carbon dioxide or alcohol. Freezing the fruit overnight and then thawing softens the fruit and also removes the astringency. Unharvested fruit remaining on the tree after leaf fall creates a very decorative effect. Full sun with some air movement is recommended for persimmon trees in inland areas, although they will tolerate some partial shade.