Native persimmons and a recipe!

I was walking around Lake Thunderbird on the east side of town recently and found a persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) tree growing in the riff-raff rocks piled right up near the water.  The tree was in bad shape with fall webworms all over the place, but it did have several fruit on it. 

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) growing near the lake shore

I plucked one fruit and found that it was still firm, a ways from ripening.  I have read that persimmons are ripe when they still hold their shape but the skin is just beginning to wrinkle a little.

Characteristic four petals at the top of the fruit.

Note: This fruit is not ripe and should not be eaten!

I decided to collect the seeds from this persimmon, so I had to stomp on it with my shoe to break open the hard fruit.  The single fruit contained 8 seeds that were large and covered in very sticky fruit. I'm going to try growing these by planting them outdoors and letting them overwinter outdoors.  Other than being picked a little early and me being a human rather than a squirrel, I should be following the most common way that these native persimmons are propagated.  If I am successful in growing some trees then I will transplant them to some areas where they can thrive and hopefully produce more!

Seeds removed from the sticky fruit

I am fascinated by persimmons because they are one of the only (maybe the only?) truly native and human-eatable fruiting trees in my area, and it seems like no one knows about them.  I grew up with my mom making Persimmon Cookies during the Christmas season every year.  They are a soft cookie made with warm holiday spices and a consistency sort of like a blueberry muffin.

My mom purchases the larger persimmons from the grocery store.  I think these are an Asian species, though I don't know for sure.  I'm curious what other people do with their persimmons.  I think I should set up a chair next to the persimmons in the produce section this holiday season and survey each person who buys them.  Maybe this year I can find a few native persimmon trees and pick some fresh local fruits for her cookies!  My mom agreed to share her recipe in case anyone would like to give them a try.

Persimmon Cookies

• 1 c persimmon pulp (3 medium or 2 large fruits)
• 2 c flour
1 c sugar
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 c oil
1 t baking soda
pinch of salt
• 1 c nuts (optional, my mom leaves these out)
• 1 c raisins

Combine ingredients and drop onto cookie sheet with a spoon.  Bake at 350° for 9 minutes.