Persimmon trees classified broadly into two general categories: those that bear "astringent fruit" 【涩柿】(whilst unripe) and those that bear "non-astringent" 【无涩柿】fruits. An astringent cultivar, which is commonly cultivated in Japan known as “Hachiya,” is high in tannins and must be allowed to ripen fully until it attains jelly-soft consistency before being fit to eat. A non-astringent persimmon, on the other hand, contains less tannin and can be eaten while it is crispy, as in apples. Astringency can be removed by treating the fruit with carbon dioxide or alcohol.
During each season, persimmon tree bears numerous fruits that vary by cultivar from spherical to heart to flatten or squash-like in shape. They also greatly vary in size from as little as a few ounces to more than a pound. The color of the fruit varies from light yellow-orange to dark orange-red. The entire fruit is edible except for the seed and calyx.
Astringent varieties: Eureka, Hachiya, Saijo, Tamopan, Tanenashi, Triumph, etc.
Non-astringent varieties: Fuyu (Fuyugaki), Gosho/Giant Fuyu/O'Gosho, Imoto, Izu, Jiro, Maekawajiro, Okugosho, Suruga, etc.
