persimmon

Either of two trees of the genus in the ebony family, and their globular, edible fruits. The native American persimmon (), a small tree with dark-red to maroon fruits that contain several large, flattened seeds, grows from the Gulf states north to central Pennsylvania and central Illinois. The Oriental persimmon (), grown extensively in China and Japan, has larger, more astringent, yellow to red fruit. Good sources of vitamins A and C, persimmons are eaten fresh or stewed or cooked as jam.

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