Several characteristics enable Texas persimmon to survive in semiarid environments.
The broad upwardly inclined leaves and smooth bark with low water retention serve to funnel rainwater down the stems. Texas persimmon regenerates by vegetative reproduction and seed. The seeds are dispersed by animals. In a study on the Edwards Plateau, more than 90 percent of carnivore feces collected between September and November contained Texas persimmon seeds. The study did not include data on herbivores.