In most cases, the flesh is very pungent and until soft and ripe, astringent in taste. Oriental persimmon fruit attain the size of a peach, and, in general, commercial varieties are not as astringent when ripe as native persimmons. A misconception exists that frost is required before persimmons are edible. This is incorrect and, in fact, frost will ruin immature fruit on the tree. High quality persimmons lose astringency as they ripen often well in advance of frosts.
Persimmons continue to ripen after they are picked off the tree.
Many varieties must be allowed to become fully soft ripe before they lose enough astringency to be edible. An exception is Fuyu, which can be eaten green when firm with little astringency. Insect pests of persimmons include scale, persimmon psyllid, leafrolling and defoliating caterpillars, and persimmon borer. Persimmon scale and tuliptree scale are to be expected. In unsprayed situations, scale are generally kept under control by natural parasites, predators and diseases.