Whats So Special About a Persimmon?
What’s so special about the Patapsco persimmon? For that matter, what is a persimmon? A fruit tree with many virtues, Gouin will tell you. Most importantly, it will survive the winter in Southern Maryland, a feat not achieved by other types of Oriental persimmon trees. The Oriental persimmon, first introduced to the United States in 1856, prefers the warmer climate of its native homes in Japan, China and Korea. Gouin’s lollipop-shaped tree is also beautiful, reaching 10 feet tall with deep green leaves. Even better, the tree is resistant to disease and insects and never needs spraying – as other backyard fruit trees must – with chemicals harmful to the Bay. The orange persimmon fruit, which ripens in October, is gorgeous as well as delicious. These Patapsco persimmons are not our poor native persimmons – small, sour fruit that make the mouth chalk and pucker – but large, sweet, seedless fruit with a taste even better than papaya. The texture ranges from that of a peach when the fruit i
