EBENACEA—EBONY FAMILY 
PERSIMMON 
Diospyros virginiana. 
Diospyros, of Greek derivation, means the fruit of Jove. Persimmon 
is the Indian name. 
Small tree varying from thirty to fifty feet in height, short slender 
trunk, spreading, often pendulous branches, which form sometimes a 
broad and sometimes a narrow round-topped head. Prefers a light, 
sandy, well-drained soil, but will grow in rich, southern, bottom lands. 
Roots thick, fleshy and stoloniferous. Given to shrubby growth. 
Bark.—Dark brown or dark gray, deeply divided into plates 
whose surface is scaly. Branchlets slender, zigzag, with thick pith 
or large pith cavity; at first light reddish brown and pubescent. 
They vary in color from light brown to ashy gray and finally become 
reddish brown, the bark somewhat broken by longitudinal fissures. 
Astringent and bitter. 
Wood.—Very dark ; sapwood yellowish white ; heavy, hard, strong 
and very close grained. Sp. gr.,0.7908 ; weight of cu. ft., 49.28 lbs. 
Winter Buds.—Ovate, acute, one-eighth of an inch long, covered 
with thick reddish or purple scales. These scales are sometimes 
persistent at the base of the branchlets. 
Leaves.—Alternate, simple, four to six inches long, oval, narrowed 
or rounded or cordate at base, entire, acute or acuminate. They 
come out of the bud revolute, thin, pale, reddish green, downy with 
ciliate margins, when full grown are thick, dark green, shining above, 
pale and often pubescent beneath. In autumn they sometimes turn 
orange or scarlet, sometimes fall without change of color. Midrib 
broad and flat, primary veins opposite and conspicuous. Petioles 
stout, pubescent, one-half to an inch in length. 
Flowers.—May, June, when leaves are half-grown ; dicecious or 
rarely polygamous. Staminate flowers borne in two to three-flowered 
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