Black Persimmon – My Favorite Texas Fruit Tree
Diospyros texana. Texas persimmons, Mexican persimmon, Black persimmon, Chapote, Chapote prieto.
One of my favorites and another often overlooked beautiful small tree is our unique black persimmon. A relative of Texas Ebony, from a distance it looks like a crepe myrtle but it has the softest leaves I’ve ever touched. When you rub the leaf between your fingers it feels very velvety.. like some of the best fabric you’ve ever touched. This is one of our diamond trees as it grows on the hottest limestone hills, providing shelter and shade to plants and animals alike.
Unripe fruit – notice the “caps” where they attach
The fruit ripens in late June and early July and is delicious, with notes of prunes, raisins, brown sugar, and molasses. It is a unique and delicious fruit prized by birds, critters, and people. Speaking from experience, it makes a lovely preserve that looks like motor oil. My uncles used to call them “deer candy” as you could always find deer and javelina close by when they’re ripe.
The heart wood shows the family resemblance to ebony and is extremely dense and dark. A beautiful hardwood that takes many years to grow. The sapwood is a clear yellow again like ebony.
Persimmon leaves are used worldwide as medicine. Harvested in the early spring when they are young and tender, they are either cooked, used as a wrap to impart a unique flavor to meats, or dried and infused into tea. They were one of our teas for diabetics before we had insulin to help regulate blood sugar. They’re a liver tonic, high in tannin, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. The most important use of the fruit medicinally was practiced by the Cherokee as an astringent for treating sores in the throat and mouth. The bark was chewed to treat heartburn.
The only downside I can possibly find is that there’s a whole lot of seed to a little fruit. It takes a while to gather enough to make a good batch of jelly.
And I could go on. This is one of my favorite trees to find and I make special notes in my head any time I find them. I always have to run a leaf or two between my fingers “just to confirm my identification” because they’re so lovely to pet. For an area of the world where it seems like everything wants to sting you, poke you, prick you, or burn you, this is a rare and lovely neighbor that’s worth a little praise.
