They have also been grown in the Interior, but need special care in order to produce and ripen fruit. Oriental persimmons are producing well in Ashland, Oregon, and in parts of the Puget Sound region. The hardier, American persimmon ranges as far north as Michigan and Wisconsin and is worthy of trial in the lower Columbia Basin. Persimmon is in the Ebony family and its wood is highly valued for veneer and specialty items. It may be gathered green after frost and stored until it ripens.
Some varieties are spiny and thus make an excellent hedge.
Its fruit is hard and astringent to taste until fully ripened. The best varieties are Mediterranean cultivars which can produce a fruit weighing more than four pounds. Quince is generally used for jams, jellies or other preserves, often mixed with apples or pears. It is hardy in any apple climate. It is a temperate fruit, with a range similar to apples and pears.