The Wild Native Persimmon
I was first introduced to the persimmon one September day when I was eight years old. An older neighborhood boy said he had a real treat for me … all I had to do was taste it. I popped the orange golf ball-sized globe into my mouth, bit down, and then experienced the sensation of cotton strands rapidly expanding throughout my entire maw. What followed next were bouts of spitting for a full two minutes while I desperately tried to expel that foul fruit’s funk. Meanwhile my tormentor laughed uproariously at me in between saying, “stupid kid, stupid kid.”
Over 60 years later, my wife Elaine and I are dedicated foragers for wild foods, and the persimmon holds an exalted place in our pursuits. Indeed, out of all the native fall fruits, nuts, and mushrooms available in the fall and winter, we rank the persimmon as the number-one edible for this time of year.
The Tree Itself
The persimmon tree is a member of the ebony family of which only two species occur naturally in the United States: the Texas Persimmon, which grows solely in the Lone Star State and Mexico, and our region’s Diospyros virginiana, known as the common persimmon. It is also called the Eastern persimmon with the slang appellation being possumwood because of this marsupial’s affinity for the fruit.
Persimmon trees are small to medium in size, with adult ones I’ve observed topping out at around 40 feet tall. The most distinguishing characteristic is their dark, rectangular, checkerboard size-like bark. The oval wavy leaves are about 4½ inches long and turn reddish-orange with black spots come autumn.
On our 38-acre spread in Botetourt County, Virginia, I’ve been able to locate six persimmon trees. I’ve day-lighted each of them, meaning I leveled nearby competing trees so that the persimmons could spread their crowns, receive more sunlight, and produce more fruit. Persimmons don’t grow well in forests, but they thrive along fence rows and in old fields. My favorite individual tree is on a nearby cattle farm next to an old shed in the middle of a pasture. Every year, Elaine and I visit the tree several times in late November and pick buckets of fruit.
Bruce Ingram photo
The Wild Native Persimmon
Wild persimmons growing in a pasture in Botetourt County, Virginia.
Importance to Wildlife
We gather persimmons from late November to mid-December, but I’ve observed deer feeding on them as early as September and as late as January. In our region, every wild mammal from bears to chipmunks and red squirrels will feast upon the fruits, as will songbirds such as cardinals and blue jays and game birds like turkeys and grouse.
In early fall, wild animals don’t mind if persimmons aren’t even half ripe, and they certainly don’t mind scarfing these fruits down in mid-winter when they are mostly rotten. In our region I can only think of two fruits that are available to wildlife for a similar amount of time and are so favored—the summer grape and the fox grape. Both Vitis species are devoured throughout fall and winter from the time they ripen in September until they are little more than raisin-like husks in mid-winter.
The Wild Native Persimmon
Elaine with her scrumptious persimmon and walnut muffins.
Our Favorite Persimmon Recipes
We prepare persimmons by putting them through a hand-operated strainer to separate pulp from the huge seeds. The one downside of this edible is that each globe is filled with numerous seeds and a strainer is the only practical way to remove them. If you can’t immediately use the pulp for cooking it freezes well and will taste just as good when prepared months later. Persimmon bread and cookies taste even better several days after preparation, as the combination of wild black walnuts and the pulp seem to intensify in flavor. We think no bread of any kind tastes more sublime than the one prepared with this recipe.
Bruce Ingram photo
The Wild Native Persimmon
Persimmon/walnut bread hot from the oven.
Persimmon and Wild Black Walnut Bread
Makes one large loaf or two smaller ones
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup oil
- 1½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup persimmon pulp
- ½ cup wild black walnuts or other nuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bread pan well.
In bowl combine flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar, and oil until well mixed.
Mix in persimmon pulp.
Stir in dry ingredient mixture until incorporated. Do not over mix batter.
Stir in nuts.
Bake at 325 degrees for 60-70 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
If using smaller pans to make two loaves, baking time may be reduced.
Bruce Ingram photo
The Wild Native Persimmon
Persimmon cookies are a great way to end an autumn dinner.
Persimmon Cookies
Approximately 3 dozen
Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 1 cup chopped black walnuts or other nuts
- 1 cup persimmon pulp
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon in bowl.
In large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg and beat until thoroughly mixed with sugar and butter.
Add vanilla and persimmon pulp mixing well.
Add dry ingredients to this mixture. Beat until smooth.
Stir in nuts and cranberries or raisins.
Spoon by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet or onto parchment paper placed on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with floured hands.
Bake for 12-14 minutes.
Persimmon Muffins
Makes 12
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1 cup persimmon pulp
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup chopped nuts
- ¹/³ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup golden raisins, optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place paper cupcake liners into muffin tin.
In separate bowl combine flours, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl combine egg, oil, milk, sugar, and persimmon pulp. Beat well.
Add dry ingredients and mix gently. Do not overmix.
Stir in nuts and raisins.
Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups.
Bake at 400 degrees for 19-20 minutes.
You might sprinkle muffins with sparkling sugar before baking for more sweetness, crunch, and shine on muffins.
Bruce Ingram photo
The Wild Native Persimmon
Persimmon pie is one of many great desserts that can be made from this fruit.
Persimmon Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 cup persimmon pulp
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 eggs, beaten
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 prepared pie crust, unbaked
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine pulp, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
When well mixed, pour into unbaked pie crust.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake another 35-45 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
When cool and ready to serve, top with mixture of whipping cream and maple syrup, whipped until light and fluffy. Bruce prefers his with vanilla ice cream.
About the authors: Bruce and Elaine Ingram co-wrote Living the Locavore Lifestyle which covers hunting, fishing, and gathering for food, plus recipes. For more information on purchasing their book, contact them at bruceingramoutdoors@gmail.com.