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Post 31
Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

Location

N39º28.883'
W088º24.754'

Date Planted

Spring 2007

This tree was donated by the Don Higgins Family and Higgins Tree Farm.


Picture

Picture
Tree located at
Douglas-Hart Nature Center

Mattoon, Illinois

Tree Description

A small or medium-sized tree, usually from 25 to 50 feet in height with a trunk up to 1 foot in diameter, but occasionally growing to much larger proportions.  Typically it has a short and rather slender trunk with a broad, rounded crown;  sometimes a shrub.

Habitat

Grows best in moist, rich soils, but very adaptable, succeeding even under adverse conditions. 

Range

From southern New York down through Florida, over to Illinois and Missouri and Texas.

Leaf Description

Deciduous, alternate, simple, 4 to 6 inches long and 1.5 to 3 inches wide, oval or oblong-ovate, with rounded bases, rather abruptly pointed tips, and entire margins.  They have about 6 pairs of main veins that arch and merge near the margin.  They are thick, firm, and leathery  in texture, dark green and glossy above, paler and often downy beneath.  The petioles are slender from .5 to 1 inch in length. 
Picture
Picture

Bark Description

Thick;  very dark gray tinged with red;  divided into small, rectangular, "alligator hide" blocks.  The wood is heavy, hard, strong, and close-grained.
Picture

Fruit Description

Rounded or slightly flat orange to reddish purple berries with 1 to 8 flattened, oblong seeds inside.  When ripe, about October, they are juicy, sweet, and edible.  The unripened fruits are very astringent.
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Picture
Picture

Riddle Trees ~ In Support of Outdoor Education ~ 2020