ABSTRACT
The American persimmon is found throughout southeastern North America, from New England to Florida, west to Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. American Indians ate the fruits fresh or dried them like prunes. Early North American settlers made a tea from the fruit, which was used as a gargle for sore throats and to treat heartburn, diarrhea, and upset stomach. The American persimmon is a locally popular fruit, which has been improved to some extent. A common misconception is that American persimmon fruits need to be exposed to freezing to ripen and should, therefore, be harvested after they have been exposed to heavy frost; in fact, this lowers the quality of the fruit. The chief impediment to its development is the Oriental persimmon, which is much superior and is established as a leading fruit. Persimmon fruits are commonly called “simmons” in the American South and Midwest.
