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A Forager’s Year

No. 72

Plant of the month: October

American persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

Fruit ripe fruit

Drawing: Britton & Brown, Illustrated Flora (1913)

Find
Common in the right habitat
Effort
Grab & eat
ID risk
Beginner
Origin
native
Uses
  • Eat raw / salad
  • Baking & desserts
  • Jam & jelly
  • Syrup & cordial
  • Dried fruit & leather

Season

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

in season peak

What these mean

Find

1 Everywhere · 2 Common in the right habitat · 3 Patchy · 4 Elusive. This is about how much there is, not whether you may pick it. It is based on iNaturalist sightings within 25 km (about 15 miles) of downtown DC, counted on October 3, 2026. The four rules that each plant’s “Find” reason refers to: (A) the estimate is the confirmed sightings, plus the unconfirmed ones (scaled down where the plant has lookalikes in its genus), plus the sightings marked as planted; (B) the tier by estimate: 1,500 or more is tier 1, 250–1,499 tier 2, 50–249 tier 3, under 50 tier 4; (C) tier 1, Everywhere, also needs a source saying the plant is common in lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots or towns, or at least one DC street tree of it per km of sidewalk, otherwise it is tier 2; (D) if a reliable source says the plant is rare in this region, or that wild plants rarely bear the harvest, only planted sightings count. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.

Effort

1 Grab & eat · 2 Quick kitchen prep (under about 30 minutes) · 3 Real work (hours, or cooking needed for safety) · 4 Project (days or equipment). Scored on the simplest worthwhile use; each plant’s page says why.

ID risk

How hard it is to harvest safely. Beginner: no dangerous lookalike, and the edible part is not easily confused with a toxic part. Careful: a toxic lookalike, or toxic parts that end up in the harvest unless removed (for example elderberry stems, unripe ground cherries), or other parts of the plant rated medium-or-higher toxicity, with reliable features to separate them. Expert only: a potentially deadly lookalike that is hard to separate, or (for not-recommended harvests like pokeweed) a plant whose safe preparation can’t be guaranteed. Toxic parts that are obviously separate and thrown away anyway (pits, seeds, skins) don’t raise it; the Toxic parts mark carries that warning.

Native or not, and the invader stars

Origin is where the plant comes from: native, non-native, or mixed (the harvest covers both). The stars rate plants on invasive plant lists: ★★★ Virginia DCR “High” or Maryland prohibited invasive · ★★ Virginia “Medium” · ★ Virginia “Low” · ☆ listed only by the Maryland Invasive Species Council or the Mid-Atlantic Plant Invaders guide (advisory) · no stars: native or not listed.

Seasons

Start, peak and end are given in thirds of a month: early, mid or late. A plant counts as in season for a month if it is in season at any point in that month. Some greens and roots have a second window, in spring or fall; their page shows each window. A season that runs across New Year is shown as one window.

What it looks like

A medium native tree with thick, dark bark broken into square blocks like alligator hide. It bears round orange fruits about 1 to 1.5 inches across, with an enlarged calyx at the base and a few flat seeds inside. Unripe fruit is so astringent it numbs and puckers the mouth. Fully ripe fruit is very soft, sweet and often wrinkled, with a date-like flavor.

Safety

Unripe fruit is unpleasantly astringent but is not described as poisonous (UMD). University of Missouri Extension warns not to eat persimmons on an empty stomach: their tannins can form a hard, indigestible mass in the stomach (a phytobezoar) that can cause a blockage. Eat them with other food and choose fully ripe fruit, which has less tannin. Discard the seeds.

Safety flags

  • Eat in moderation

    tannins (phytobezoar risk): Do not eat persimmons on an empty stomach; eat them with other food and choose fully ripe fruit, which has less tannin.

Safety marks and flags: what this means

Deadly lookalike / Toxic lookalike: a cited source names a lookalike of that danger. Deadly means a source says eating it may be fatal or calls it deadly, or NC State rates it high severity with life-threatening symptoms (sources sometimes disagree; for example Virginia creeper). Each plant’s Lookalikes list says how to tell them apart; “harmless (may be edible)” lookalikes are listed so you know a mix-up isn’t dangerous. Cook first: cooking is needed for safety (for daylilies it is a precaution, not a sourced requirement). Eat in moderation: a source says to limit quantity or frequency (for example oxalates in sorrels and dock, ginkgotoxin, safrole). Spray risk: a source says the plant is commonly treated with herbicide in parks or lawns (invasive control, lawn weeds) or, for ginkgo, sprayed to stop fruiting. Contamination: a source says the plant concentrates pollutants. Each plant’s Safety flags list gives the details and sources.

ID risk
Beginner
Why
No toxic lookalike is named; the main mistake is eating firm, unripe fruit, which is astringent but not poisonous (UMD).
Soil risk
low
ID risk: what this means

How hard it is to harvest safely. Beginner: no dangerous lookalike, and the edible part is not easily confused with a toxic part. Careful: a toxic lookalike, or toxic parts that end up in the harvest unless removed (for example elderberry stems, unripe ground cherries), or other parts of the plant rated medium-or-higher toxicity, with reliable features to separate them. Expert only: a potentially deadly lookalike that is hard to separate, or (for not-recommended harvests like pokeweed) a plant whose safe preparation can’t be guaranteed. Toxic parts that are obviously separate and thrown away anyway (pits, seeds, skins) don’t raise it; the Toxic parts mark carries that warning.

Soil risk: what this means

Based on the part you eat, following the urban-soil lead guidance on the Field safety page: higher for greens, shoots and roots; moderate for flowers; low for fruit, nuts and sap.

Field safety for every outing (poison ivy, ticks, soil, and more)

When to pick

Starts
late Sep
Peak
mid Oct–mid Nov
Ends
mid Jan

NC State lists fruit from September through December, Maryland DNR says persimmons ripen in late fall in Maryland, and Virginia Tech gives mid to late fall. Timing varies a lot from tree to tree: some trees are sweet well before frost, others stay astringent long after (Missouri Department of Conservation). Fruit often stays on the tree after the leaves fall and is not harmed by freezing (University of Missouri Extension), so a few good fruits can still be found into January, drier than in fall. Frost does not ripen persimmons: UMD Extension explains that frost makes unripe fruit rot, while ripe fruit survives frost and slowly dries and sweetens. Use ripeness signs, not the calendar: deep orange, very soft, and dropping from the tree on its own without rotting (UMD Extension). Gathering fallen fruit is the easiest way to get ripe ones (University of Missouri Extension).

How the dates were worked out

Every start, peak and end was re-checked in October 2026. “Sourced” means a source opened during the check states that timing for the DC or Mid-Atlantic area. “Estimated” means no source states it exactly; the reason, the evidence and the source links are under “How the dates were worked out” on each plant’s page. Peaks are often estimated, because few sources name a peak. iNaturalist evidence means research-grade sightings near DC, by month, of the plant at that stage (for example, in fruit). iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.

Season basis: estimated: start, peak, end

Start

estimated: Sources give September as the earliest month but Maryland DNR stresses late fall; late Sep marks the first early-ripening trees, not the norm. iNaturalist fruiting records (from June) include unripe orange fruit and cannot show ripeness.

Peak

estimated: No source gives a peak date; mid Oct to mid Nov combines 'mid to late fall' with the iNaturalist curve, which runs earlier because it includes unripe fruit.

End

estimated: NC State’s display window ends in December, but several sources describe fruit hanging into winter and still edible; mid Jan is where regional iNaturalist fruiting records drop off.

Evidence

start: NC State: fruit 'displays from September to December'. USDA Forest Service Silvics: fruit 'ripens from September to November or occasionally a little earlier'. Maryland DNR: persimmons 'ripen in late fall in Maryland'. | peak: Maryland DNR: ripen 'in late fall'. Virginia Tech dendrology: 'matures in mid to late fall'. iNaturalist DC fruiting records are highest in weeks 36-42 (Sep 3-Oct 21: 22, 20, 25, 22, 13, 19, 18) and still 7-8/week into early Nov. | end: NC State: displays September to December, 'Fall, Winter'; fruit 'can stay on the tree after the leaves have fallen, unaffected by freezing temperatures'. University of Missouri Extension: fruit 'often remain on a tree after its leaves have fallen. Unaffected by freezing temperatures'. Silvics: 'Fruits fall from September to late winter'. UMD Extension: ripe fruit survives frost and slowly dries and sweetens. iNaturalist DC fruiting: Dec 5, Jan 3, Feb 2; MD/VA/DC: Dec 27, Jan 15, Feb 5.

Where to look

Old fields and sunny edges: legal at Prince William Forest Park and Virginia state parks like Mason Neck (few logged trees); the most-logged trees are on the C&O towpath, which is ambiguous for persimmon (not on its limits list; ask the park), and in Barcroft Park on Four Mile Run and at Huntley Meadows, which are look-only.

Habitats
old fields & meadows, woods edges, trailsides & thickets
Habitats: what this means

Listed where the plant’s own sources place it in that habitat. “Disturbed ground & waste places” means a cited source places it on disturbed areas, sites, soil or ground, on waste places or waste ground, on construction or abandoned building sites (old home sites count), on rubble or in strip mines. When the source gives examples of the disturbed places, at least one example must be of that kind. Examples that do not count: natural or forestry disturbance (treefall gaps, fire, windthrow, flood scour, old riverbanks and creeks, clear-cuts); roadsides, railroads and rights-of-way; and abandoned fields, pastures and farmland, which are “Old fields & meadows”. “Vacant lots” only where a source says vacant or empty lots.

Most-logged places

None of the most-logged places allows picking.

Ask first: rules unclear or not checked

  • C&O Canal NHP (towpath, Georgetown to Great Falls MD and beyond)

    74 sightings · Legal to pick: ambiguous · see them on iNaturalist

    Ambiguous: the C&O compendium allows edible fruits, nuts and berries generally but sets no limit for this one; ask the park first. Of these, 8 are at Carderock.

No picking here (4 places)
  • Barcroft Park

    50 sightings · Legal to pick: no · see them on iNaturalist

    Look but don’t pick: Arlington County park rules say flora shall not be removed or disturbed.

  • Huntley Meadows Park

    48 sightings · Legal to pick: no · see them on iNaturalist

    Look but don’t pick: Fairfax County parks ban removing any plant part without written permission.

  • Lake Artemesia Natural Area

    31 sightings · Legal to pick: no · see them on iNaturalist

    Look but don’t pick: Montgomery/Prince George’s parks (M-NCPPC) ban harvesting vegetation without a permit.

  • Rock Creek Park

    30 sightings · Legal to pick: no · see them on iNaturalist

    Look but don’t pick: Rock Creek Park’s compendium bans gathering any fruit, nut, berry, seed or greenery.

Most-logged places: what this means

The places with the most research-grade iNaturalist sightings within 25 km of downtown DC (re-counted in October 2026 over every named place, campuses, condominiums and private grounds included), each marked legal to pick or not. A sighting inside several named places counts once, for the smallest of them, but a sighting inside a National Park Service park never counts for a private, campus or unchecked place. iNaturalist shows where people walk and log plants, not true abundance. Private campuses, condominiums, museums, estates and utility land (Pepco’s power-line land near Sligo Creek) are marked “no” (pick only with the owner’s permission); public university campuses, city parks and other places whose picking rules were not checked (county stormwater land, the U.S. Capitol Grounds, Greenbelt’s North Woods, federal facilities such as the National Zoo) are “unknown”. A place needs at least 2 sightings, so plants with very few sightings (rugosa rose) have no places. No most-logged places are named for at-risk plants (ramps, chinquapin, American chestnut); chinquapin’s page names Mason Neck State Park, where picking is legal, and asks you to leave most nuts. For some places, mostly Rock Creek Park, the iNaturalist map shows more sightings than the count here, because a map link cannot leave out exactly the sightings credited to another place. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.

Ways to use it

  • eat fresh when fully soft
  • persimmon pulp, pressed through a colander or food mill to remove seeds and skin, for persimmon pudding, breads and cookies
  • pies, ice cream, syrups and jellies
  • dried fruit
  • savory dishes and baked goods (MU Extension)
  • fruit leather
  • freezer jam (no tested canning process for persimmon pulp)

Keeping

Let fruit soften fully on the counter, then eat it or freeze the sieved pulp within 1-2 days; never can persimmon pulp, because USDA and NCHFP have no tested canning process for it.

Use within
within a few days
Keeps fresh
Ripen on the counter at room temperature until very soft. Fully ripe fruit is best eaten at once, or refrigerated for 1-2 days, unwashed in a plastic bag. Still-firm fruit keeps up to a month in the fridge (Purdue).
Canning
no tested recipe: refrigerate or freeze, don’t can
Keeping basis
specific to this plant

Ways to keep it

  • Dry as researched: dry/dehydrate; canning: n/a (not shelf-canned)

    Slices or fruit leather (Penn State; NCHFP fruit-leather directions).

  • Freeze as researched: freeze pulp; canning: n/a (not shelf-canned)

    Press ripe fruit through a food mill or sieve and freeze the purée in recipe-sized bags. Native persimmon purée needs no sugar (NCHFP); adding 1/8 tsp ascorbic acid per quart improves quality. Use within a year (Penn State).

  • Jam/jelly as researched: jam/jelly; canning: no tested recipe — refrigerate or freeze

    Freezer jam only: up to 3 weeks in the fridge or 12 months frozen (Penn State).

Canning: what this means

Shelf-stable canning, three levels. Lab-tested: a lab-tested recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) or Oregon State covers this fruit and product, or a generic recipe for its kind (the line says so, for example chokeberry). Extension recipe: a published Extension recipe (University of Alaska Fairbanks, written for Alaska species; University of Maine’s dandelion jelly), or a process that is safe only with a pH meter; follow it exactly, never improvise. No tested recipe: refrigerate or freeze, don’t can. “Hot-bottled syrup” = maple and walnut syrup, which keep when bottled hot at full syrup density. The Canning line names the exact product each source covers, for example “whole berries” or “juice”; a product not named there (such as juice from a berry with only a whole-berry recipe) has no tested recipe.

Keeping basis: what this means

“Specific to this plant” or “general guidance for its type” (for example NCHFP guidance for leafy greens applied to a wild green).

Nutrition

How much of a day’s needs one standard serving (140 g) provides, using the FDA’s daily values and serving sizes. The FDA calls 20% or more “high” and 10–19% a “good source”. Every figure below is listed with its source; where the sources disagree, all of them are shown and no conclusion is drawn.

Vitamin C: high

  • USDA SR Legacy: 103% of daily value

    Sample: Diospyros virginiana (USDA’s scientific name); 'Persimmons, native, raw'; refuse 18% ('2% calyx, 16% seeds'); sample origin, wild/cultivated and number of samples not documented (USDA names no source for it; values dated 08/1982, i.e. carried over from USDA Agriculture Handbook 8-9, 1982, which could not be obtained)

    Recorded: 66.0 mg (per 100 g edible portion, raw). Working: 66 mg per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 92.4 mg; daily value 90 mg; 103%.

    Persimmons, native, raw (NDB 09265)

Iron: good source

Unconfirmed: only one analysis, and it ranks 2 of 105 raw fruits in USDA SR Legacy.

  • USDA SR Legacy: 19% of daily value

    Sample: Diospyros virginiana (USDA’s scientific name); 'Persimmons, native, raw'; refuse 18% ('2% calyx, 16% seeds'); sample origin, wild/cultivated and number of samples not documented (USDA names no source for it; values dated 08/1982, i.e. carried over from USDA Agriculture Handbook 8-9, 1982, which could not be obtained)

    Recorded: 2.50 mg (per 100 g edible portion, raw). Working: 2.5 mg per 100 g × 140 g ÷ 100 = 3.5 mg; daily value 18 mg; 19%.

    Persimmons, native, raw (NDB 09265)

Other figures, each under 10% of daily value (2)
  • USDA SR Legacy: Calcium 3%; Potassium 9%
Figures left out, and why (4 studies; 3 with no figure used)

The calendar counts a study with no figure used here when one of its vitamin, mineral or dietary fiber figures was left out as a dried sample, another part, or for an unclear species, part or basis; figures given per amount of juice are not counted.

  • USDA SR Legacy (other figures from this study are used above): carbohydrate has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber; no FDA daily value; not measured in the cited work: USDA marks it 'Calculated or imputed'; USDA notes 'Nutrient that is based on other nutrient/s; calculated rather than analyzed'; 0 data points; protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber
  • King & McClure 1944 (counted in the calendar): crude fiber is a different measure from dietary fiber, the FDA daily value is for dietary fiber; no FDA daily value; percent of dry matter only; protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber
  • Pearce & Thieret 1993: carbohydrate has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber; no FDA daily value; not measured in the cited work: derived; protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber
  • Troop & Hadley 1896: ash has no FDA daily value; crude fiber is a different measure from dietary fiber, the FDA daily value is for dietary fiber; no FDA daily value; not measured in the cited work: derived; protein: the FDA percent daily value for protein must be corrected for protein quality (PDCAAS, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)), which this analysis does not report; species, part or state not clear: exact species and part; an extraction fraction said to consist mainly of sugars, not a sugar assay; total fat has an FDA daily value, but the panels show only vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber; unit not converted: percent of the pulp’s ash, as oxides
What was searched
  • Europe PMC: searched 2026-10-09, 8 records; 8 after removing duplicates across databases; 1 candidates by title and abstract; 1 read in full; 1 with figures used
  • PubMed: searched 2026-10-09, 6 records; 6 after removing duplicates across databases; 0 candidates by title and abstract; 0 read in full; 0 with figures used
  • OpenAlex: searched 2026-10-09, 42 records; 42 after removing duplicates across databases; 3 candidates by title and abstract; 2 read in full; 1 with figures used
  • Crossref: searched 2026-10-09, 52 records; 52 after removing duplicates across databases; 2 candidates by title and abstract; 2 read in full; 0 with figures used
  • J-STAGE (Japan): searched 2026-10-09, 9 records; 9 after removing duplicates across databases; 0 candidates by title and abstract; 0 read in full; 0 with figures used
  • USDA FoodData Central (online search): searched 2026-10-09, 5 records; 5 after removing duplicates across databases; 0 candidates by title and abstract; 0 read in full; 0 with figures used
  • USDA FoodData Central (downloaded SR Legacy 2018 and Foundation 2026 tables): searched 2026-10-09, 3 records; 3 after removing duplicates across databases; 0 candidates by title and abstract; 0 read in full; 0 with figures used
  • All databases together: 125 records from all databases, 102 unique, 4 candidates, 3 read, 1 used; 1 not read (paywalled 0, blocked automated access 1, not online 0)
  • KCI (Korea), CNKI (China), SciELO (Latin America), CORE, USDA’s AGRICOLA and PubAg, Google Scholar, and national food composition tables other than USDA’s: not searched (October 2026).

The counts are of papers new in this search. Sources found before this search (such as USDA’s entries) were not counted again.

Each database was searched for the plant’s scientific and common names together with nutrient words (composition, nutrient, vitamin, mineral, fiber, protein and others), in titles and abstracts only. Papers that don’t name the plant there, and words not on the list (such as fat, energy and moisture), were missed unless another paper led to them; the AI researchers found some that way.

Found but not read (1)

Collected in October 2026 by AI research agents, following written rules; the calendar’s figures were then checked independently.

Native or not

Origin
native
Native range
eastern & south-central United States
Virginia invasive rank
not listed
Maryland invasive status
not listed
Native or not, and the invader stars: what this means

Origin is where the plant comes from: native, non-native, or mixed (the harvest covers both). The stars rate plants on invasive plant lists: ★★★ Virginia DCR “High” or Maryland prohibited invasive · ★★ Virginia “Medium” · ★ Virginia “Low” · ☆ listed only by the Maryland Invasive Species Council or the Mid-Atlantic Plant Invaders guide (advisory) · no stars: native or not listed.

Virginia DCR, Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective September 2024), verbatim: "Under the DCR Invasive Species Assessment Protocol, approved by the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group, January 2024, species were ranked as exhibiting high, medium or low levels of invasiveness based on their threat to natural communities and native species. Invasiveness rank is higher for species that: • Alter ecosystem processes, such as succession, hydrology or fire regime. • Are capable of invading undisturbed natural communities. • Cause substantial impacts on rare or vulnerable species or natural communities or high-quality examples of more common communities. • Are found widely distributed and generally abundant where present. • Disperse readily to new areas. • Are difficult to control." The list also states: "The list is for educational purposes only and has no regulatory authority."

Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant Law and Regulations page, verbatim: "Plants on the Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List may not be added to stock after the effective date and should not be sold after their phase-out period ends."

No official DC invasive plant list was found.

How the ratings were set

Find
Common in the right habitat Estimate 1,550 = 1,192 research-grade iNaturalist sightings within 25 km + 258 needs-ID sightings counted in full (American persimmon is the only Diospyros with research-grade sightings here) + 100 'cultivated' (planted) sightings (rule A); that is tier 1 by count (rule B). Rule C: none of its sources says it is common in, or a weed of, an everyday place (lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots, towns), and DC’s street-tree inventory lists 198 living American persimmons, under the line of one per km of DC sidewalk (2,406), so it cannot be tier 1 (Everywhere). Final tier 2.
Effort
Grab & eat Eat fully soft fruit fresh, spitting out the seeds; pressing pulp through a colander or food mill for pudding and breads is a 2.
Find: what this means

1 Everywhere · 2 Common in the right habitat · 3 Patchy · 4 Elusive. This is about how much there is, not whether you may pick it. It is based on iNaturalist sightings within 25 km (about 15 miles) of downtown DC, counted on October 3, 2026. The four rules that each plant’s “Find” reason refers to: (A) the estimate is the confirmed sightings, plus the unconfirmed ones (scaled down where the plant has lookalikes in its genus), plus the sightings marked as planted; (B) the tier by estimate: 1,500 or more is tier 1, 250–1,499 tier 2, 50–249 tier 3, under 50 tier 4; (C) tier 1, Everywhere, also needs a source saying the plant is common in lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots or towns, or at least one DC street tree of it per km of sidewalk, otherwise it is tier 2; (D) if a reliable source says the plant is rare in this region, or that wild plants rarely bear the harvest, only planted sightings count. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.

Effort: what this means

1 Grab & eat · 2 Quick kitchen prep (under about 30 minutes) · 3 Real work (hours, or cooking needed for safety) · 4 Project (days or equipment). Scored on the simplest worthwhile use; each plant’s page says why.

Sources

25 sources, each linked to the original.

  1. C&O Canal NHP Superintendent’s Compendium National Park ServiceBacks up: picking rules
  2. Rock Creek Park Superintendent’s Compendium National Park ServiceBacks up: picking rules
  3. Common persimmon factsheet Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources (Dendrology)Backs up: description, season
  4. Celebrating the Season With American Persimmon University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Lancaster CountyBacks up: description, uses
  5. Diospyros virginiana (Common Persimmon) University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture (funded by the Kentucky Division of Forestry)Backs up: description, uses, habitat
  6. DC street-tree inventory (DDOT Urban Forestry, UFA Street Trees layer): living trees by species, queried 2026-10-05 (198 living American persimmons) District of Columbia (DDOT Urban Forestry Division, via DC GIS)Backs up: findability
  7. iNaturalist research-grade observations of Diospyros virginiana within 25 km of downtown DC iNaturalistBacks up: findability
  8. Freezing Persimmons National Center for Home Food Preservation (Univ. of Georgia)Backs up: keeping
  9. Persimmon (FoodLink produce sheet) Purdue Extension FoodLinkBacks up: keeping
  10. The Truth About Canning Persimmons and What To Do Instead Alabama Cooperative Extension SystemBacks up: keeping
  11. Fruit Purées (canning) National Center for Home Food Preservation (Univ. of Georgia)Backs up: keeping
  12. USDA PLANTS Database: Diospyros virginiana (DIVI5), native status USDA NRCSBacks up: native or invasive status
  13. Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective date: September 2024) Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural HeritageBacks up: native or invasive status
  14. Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant Law and Regulations (Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List, updated January 2026; additions effective July 15, 2026; 'Next Plants To Be Assessed' 2026-2027) Maryland Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection & Weed ManagementBacks up: native or invasive status
  15. Non-Native Invasive Terrestrial Plant Species in the State of Maryland (updates approved through the April 18, 2024 MISC meeting) Maryland Invasive Species CouncilBacks up: native or invasive status
  16. Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide (Swearingen & Fulton, 2022; successor to the NPS/USFWS 5th ed., 2017) Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council / Passiflora Press (hosted by Bugwood/Mid-Atlantic Invaders Tool)Backs up: native or invasive status
  17. Invasive Plants in the District DC Department of Energy & EnvironmentBacks up: native or invasive status
  18. American persimmon research-grade observations within 25 km of DC, by month (fruiting annotation) iNaturalistBacks up: season
  19. Silvics of North America: Common persimmon USDA Forest ServiceBacks up: season, description, habitat
  20. Native Plant Profile: Favored Fruit Trees Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesBacks up: season, description, habitat, picking rules
  21. Introducing the King of Fall Fruits: Persimmons University of Maryland Extension (Maryland Grows)Backs up: season, description, safety, uses
  22. Pucker up for persimmon, the first-frost fruit University of Missouri ExtensionBacks up: season, description, safety, uses
  23. Diospyros virginiana NC State Extension Plant ToolboxBacks up: season, description, uses, habitat
  24. Wild Edibles of Missouri (Jan Phillips) Missouri Department of ConservationBacks up: season, uses, description
  25. Native Persimmon in the Garden and the Kitchen Penn State ExtensionBacks up: uses, keeping