Eastern Persimmon

Eastern Persimmon

*(Diospyros virginiana)*

An excellent small to medium tree, common persimmon is an interesting, somewhat irregularly-shaped native tree, for possible naturalizing in yards or parks. Bark is grey or black and distinctly blocky with orange in the valleys between the blocks. Fall color can be a spectacular red in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8a. It is well adapted to cities, but presents a problem with fruit litter, attracting flies and scavengers, such as opossums and other mammals. Its mature height can be 60 feet, with branches spreading from 20 to 35 feet and a trunk two feet thick, but it is commonly much shorter in landscapes. The trunk typically ascends up through the crown in a curved but very dominant fashion, rarely producing double or multiple leaders. Lateral branches are typically much smaller in diameter than the trunk.

**Leaf:** Alternate, simple, oblong to oval, 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, pinnately-veined, margin entire, lustrous green above and paler or whitened below.

**Flower:** Species is usually dioecious; both white to greenish-white and about 1/2 inch long; male flowers in 3's; female flowers solitary and urn-shaped, appear in late spring and early summer.

**Fruit:** Species is usually dioecious; both white to greenish-white and about 1/2 inch long; male flowers in 3's; female flowers solitary and urn-shaped, appear in late spring and early summer.

**Twig:** Slender, light brown to gray, maybe scabrous or pubescent; no true terminal bud and twig scar is often very prominent, buds triangular, appressed, dark red to black with 2 bud scales; leaf scar has one oval vascular bundle trace.

**Bark:** When young gray-brown with orange in fissures, later becoming much darker, breaking up into square scaly thick plates; reminiscent of charcoal briquettes (very unique).

**Form:** A small to medium sized tree to 60 feet with a round-topped crown of crooked branches. In forest stands the stem may be straight, tall, and
slender.

**Range:** The native American Persimmon is occasional in southern Illinois, and uncommon or absent elsewhere
in the state. Illinois lies along the northern range limit of this species. Habitats include upland woodlands, bottomland, woodlands (above the flood zone), flatwoods, barren savannas (both sandy & non-sandy), sandstone and
limestone glades, fallow fields, abandoned pastures, and fence rows. This tree
is a pioneer species that invades relatively open areas where there is less
competition. Ultimately, it is replaced by larger canopy trees. American
Persimmon is sometimes cultivated for its fruit and ornamental appearance.

.**Growing Conditions:** The growth rate of persimmon is generally slow (9). On dry, old-field sites it frequently makes only a shrubby
growth 4.6 to 6.1 m (15 to 20 ft) tall. On poor sites the larger trees contain a high percentage of heartwood that cannot be used for lumber because it checks excessively during seasoning.

**Wildlife value:** when the fruit turns yellow orange, the flesh is pleasing in taste (12). The fruit is eaten by many species of song birds, also by the skunk, raccoon, opossum, gray and fox squirrels, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, bobwhite, crows, rabbits, hogs, and cattle (5). It may, however, cause sickness in livestock. Deer browse readily on persimmon sprouts, but cattle graze them only lightly

**Timber Value:** The wood of common persimmon is hard, smooth, and even textured. The hardness and shock resistance make it ideal for textile shuttles and heads for driver golf clubs. The heartwood is used for veneer and specialty items, but most of commercially used persimmon is reported to consist of sapwood.

**Damaging Agents:** A number of insects attack persimmon but normally do
no serious harm (9). A bark and phloem borer *(Agrilus fuscipennis)* infests
living persimmon and the persimmon borer *(Sannina uroceriformis)* tunnels in the stems and taproots of young trees and damages nursery stock. Caterpillars may defoliate the trees in early summer and into mid summer. The
principal defoliators are a webworm *(Seiarctica echo)* and the hickory horned devil *(Citheronia regalis).* Unless sprayed, they may defoliate and severely damage a young plant. No serious damage to the merchantable part of living trees is recorded. The twig girdler *(Oncideres cingulata)* retards growth by cutting off smaller branches. The wood of dying and dead trees is often riddled by the false powderpost beetle *(Xylobiops basilaris).*

**Lifespan:** Eastern persimmon has an average lifespan of 60 years and Maximum lifespan of 80 years

**Links:**

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=29

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros\_virginiana

http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=divi5

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st231

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/persimmon.htm