Diospyros kaki

Diospyros kaki, theOriental persimmon,Chinese persimmon,Japanese persimmonorkaki persimmon,is the most widely cultivated species of the genusDiospyros. Although its first botanical description was not published until 1780,D. kakicultivation in China dates back more than 2000 years.
Whether the species was first described byCarl Peter ThunbergorCarl Linnaeus the Youngeris disputed.The scientific nameDiospyros kakiL. f. may be used erroneously for this plant. However,Diospyros kakiL. f., published in 1781, is a later homonym ofDiospyros kakiThunb., published in 1780. So the nameDiospyros kakiL. f. is taxonomically illegitimate and not accepted.
It is calledshi(柿) in Chinese,kaki(柿) in Japanese,gam(감) in Korean, kesemek in Indonesia and haluwabed (हलुवाबेद) in Nepali.
Similar in shape to anappletree, thekakitree reaches a size of up to 10 metres (33 ft). Itsdeciduousleaves are medium to dark green, broadly lanceolate, stiff and equally wide as long. Blooming from May to June, the trees are typically either male or female, but some produce both types of flowers. Furthermore, the sexual expression of a tree may vary from year to year. Unusually, thekakifruits  ripen when the leaves have mostly fallen off the tree, typically in October and November. (Northern Hemisphere)
Pestalotiopsisfungal spp. causes leaf spot on Japanese persimmon.
Kakitrees typically do not bear until they are 3 to 6 years old. The flowers are 2.0 to 2.5 cm (0.8 to 1.0 in) wide and appear in late spring or early summer, depending on variety and growing area. The tubular flowers have a creamy white color. Female flowers grow singly, while male flowers sometimes may have a pink tint and tend to appear in clusters of three. Diospyros kaki is typically a dioecious species, which means that trees are either male or female, but some cultivated varieties are monoecious. In that case both male and female, and even perfect (male+female), flowers can be found on the same tree. The flowers have four crown-shaped sepals and four petals that form a large calyx.
All varieties (parthenocarpic) will produce seedless fruit in the absence ofpollination, but their pollinated flowers will produce more fruit riddled with seeds. Kaki typically suffers very important fruit drop. The first flush of fruit drop happens shortly after flowering, when +/- 50% of the fruit will drop. The second flush happens in August when again many fruits will drop. After this, the rest of the fruit will usually stay on the tree and mature. Fruit drop depends on climatic conditions and water availability. Pollination is not necessary for fruit set, but it may help reduce fruit drop after averse climatic conditions or drought periods.
Thepersimmonis an edible sweet, slightly tangy fruit with a soft to occasionally fibrous texture. This species, native to China, isdeciduous, with broad, stiff leaves. It was first cultivated in China more than 2000 years ago, and introduced to Japan in the 7th century and to Korea in the 14th century.It was later introduced toCaliforniaand southernEuropein the 19th century, to Brazil in the 1890s.Numerouscultivarshave been selected, and onevarietyisDiospyros kakivar.sylvestrisMakino.
When ripe, the fruit comprises thick pulpyjellyencased in a waxy thin-skinned shell.
The spherical to oval fruit, bearing the indented stem and four sepals, can weigh up to 500 grams (18 oz). The smooth, shiny, thin shell ranges in shade from yellow to red-orange. The slightly lighter fleshed fruits can contain up to eight seeds and may have an astringent taste. With increasing maturity, the fruit softens, similar to akiwifruit.
The high content oftanninin the still-immature kaki provides a bitter component reminiscent of a raw unpeeledchestnut, which weakens with progressive maturation. The furry taste, caused by the tannins, is reduced and finally completely disappears during the ripening process.
The astringent flavour can be removed by treatment with carbon dioxide.
Kaki varieties are classified into four basic types, depending on the solubility of their tannin and the presence of seeds. Soluble tannin means that the fruit will have an acrid taste. Insoluble tannin means that there is no acrid taste. In some cases, the presence of seeds will turn the tannin insoluble in the whole of the fruit and in other cases only just around the seeds. this results in the following classification:
Practically and commercially, only the first two kaki types are important. The other two types are considered astringent kakis for practical reasons and are handled just like the PCA type fruit.
Apart from tannins,triterpenoidcompounds such as α-amyrin,uvaol,ursolic acid, 19α-hydroxy ursolic acid and 19 α,24-dihydroxy ursolic acid can be isolated from the leaves ofD. kaki.
The high content of thecarotenoidsbeta-cryptoxanthin,beta-carotene, andzeaxanthin, along with someluteinandalpha-carotenemakes the kaki fruit nutritionally valuable.
Kakiare grown worldwide, with 90 percent of the total in China, Japan and Korea. In East Asia the main harvest time forkakiis in the months of October and November. The trees lose their leaves by harvest time. Occasionally, the brightly colored fruit is left unharvested on the tree as a decorative effect.
Cultivation of this species at first spread throughEast Asia. Since the 19th century,kakipartially replaceddate-plum(Diospyros lotus, also known as Caucasian persimmon) in some countries in South Europe and West Asia, becausekakihave bigger fruits than date-plum; cultivation inCaliforniabegan at that time.
The "Sharon" is a trade name for the "Triumph" variety grown in the fertilePlain of Sharonin Israel. It is a PCA variety which is always treated withcarbon dioxide(CO₂) gas to remove astringency before it is marketed. This kaki has a rather squarish shape and it has one of the highest sugar contents of all varieties. Unlike most other varieties, it has a very firm skin which gives it good keeping qualities and good resistance to handling.
In Spain, the most important kaki variety is "Rojo Brillante". This PCA variety is mostly grown in the Valencia region in a protected region of origin (DOP) called the "Ribera del Xuquer". During the last decadea CO₂ treatment procedure has been perfected by which nearly all Rojo Brillante kakis are treated to remove astringency while still retaining their firmness and keeping qualities. This treated kaki fruit is marketed asSpanish Persimon(with one 'm'). Because of this treatment, the "Rojo brillante" kaki has become an easily edible fruit highly appreciated internationally, with increased production.
In Italy the most widely grown variety is "Tipo" (PCA) and some other varieties in smaller quantities. Italy used to be the largest kaki exporting country in Europe, but export diminished significantly as the Spanish kaki succeeded. This drop in export is entirely due to the fact that until now Italian kakis are not CO₂ treated and thus can only be eaten after they have turned soft.Italy has recently developed a CO₂ treatment procedure that can be used on the Tipo variety but it is not commonly used yet.
Kakiis also produced in Albania, mainly in theElbasanregion. Since 1935–40, it is also grown in small quantities in Bulgaria, particularly in theUpper Thracian Plainand on theBulgarian Black Sea Coast.
In astringent cultivars (cultivated varieties), the fruit has a highproanthocyanidin-type tannin content which makes the immature fruit astringent and bitter.The tannin levels are reduced as the fruit matures. The fruit of those cultivars is not edible in its crisp, firm state; they're edible when soft ripe. The ripe fruit has a soft jelly-like consistency. The Japanese 'Hachiya' is a widely grown astringent cultivar. Other cultivars, such as 'Fuyu', do not contain tannins when firm. Those can be eaten like an apple or can be allowed to go to any stage of ripeness, including to the jelly-like stage. These non-astringent varieties are, however, considered to have a less complex flavor.
In the United States mostdiospyros kakiproduction takes place in the states ofFloridaandCalifornia. The first commercial orchards in Florida were planted in the 1870s. Most persimmon orchards in the US are small scale (70% less than 1 acre and 90% less than 5 acres).
Throughout Asia, healing properties are attributed to thekaki. They are said to be helpful against stomach ailments and diarrhea. Immature fruits are said to be a treatment for fever, if they ripen in containers until they are sweet as honey. The juice of unripe fruit is said to lower blood pressure and the fruit stem to relieve a cough. To reinforce these effects, the fruit is peeled before use, exposed to the sunlight during the day and to the dew at night, until a white powdery coating forms.
A vase adorned with akakicake, a pine branch and an orange is a symbol of the desire for "great happiness in 100 affairs."
The leaves are commonly removed before serving. Though the skin is often removed, it may be eaten, especially when the fruit hasripenedand the tannins have significantly broken down, reducing the astringency. They can also bedried; two fruits are attached to a string which is then hung over a pole.
In Korea, it is usually eaten as adessertor when there are guests at home. The persimmon is cut into sections and the skin and core is usually removed. Persimmons are eaten dry during the winter, and they are very popular amongst children. In autumn, families and farmers from the rural areas collect persimmons and hang them to dry. Powdered sugar is sometimes added to enhance the sweetness.
Persimmon leaves used to wrapsushiis a regional speciality ofNara Prefecture, Japan.
Persimmon vinegarmay be made from Oriental persimmons.