Garden tip: The different types of persimmons

Have you ever eaten a hachiya persimmon before it was ripe? It leaves a bitter taste and makes your mouth pucker. These need to be eaten when soft and fully ripe. In contrast, the fuyu persimmon tastes good while still hard and crisp.

Both of these are cultivars of Diospyros kaki. They are native to China and were brought to the United States in the 1850s. There is also a persimmon, Diospyros virginiana, that grows along the East Coast and parts of the South.

Persimmons are often grown in the home garden. They grow 15 to 30 feet tall and have attractive fruit and beautiful fall foliage. Persimmons are considered drought tolerant but will benefit from occasional summer irrigation. Commercially they are grown primarily in Fresno, Tulare and San Diego counties.

— Katie Martin, UC Marin master gardener