Like lemons, oranges & co., persimmons are berries. Apart from this fact and the similarity in shape and colour, the Diospyros kaki and Citrus have very little in common.
Both persimmon and citrus trees originated in Asia. The fruits are available all year round in our fruit shop. On the supermarket shelf, one could confuse oranges and persimmons from afar because they are the same color and size. On closer inspection, however, one finds little in common apart from the skin, which is colored bright orange. Citrus fruits include:
- oranges,
- tangerines,
- kumquats,
- grapefruit,
- Lemons,
- limes.
persimmons
Persimmon trees belong to the ebony family, while citrus plants belong to the rue family. The citrus trees are evergreen, the persimmons are deciduous trees. The citrus trees are susceptible to many diseases and pests, they need intensive care for a good yield. In contrast, the persimmon trees are extremely easy to care for.
However, both plants are not hardy and need a tropical or subtropical climate for the fruits to ripen. In most regions of Germany they can only be cultivated as container plants.
persimmons
All citrus fruits are not climacteric, they can no longer ripen after harvesting. On the other hand, persimmons that are harvested unripe only reach full maturity after being stored for a long time. In contrast to the citrus fruits, a ripe persimmon, sharon or persimmon taste very sweet. The bitter aftertaste, which leaves a furry coating on the tongue, indicates a lack of maturity.
All persimmon breeds can be eaten whole, they have neither an inedible shell, nor seeds or membranes that have to be removed. When cut open crosswise, the flesh of the persimmon shows a star-shaped pattern. Due to the high sugar content, the nutritional value of kakis is comparable to that of grapes. Citrus fruits, on the other hand, are valued for their high vitamin C content.
tips and tricks
The heart of the persimmon tree is ebony, which is black in color and very hard and heavy. It is one of the most valuable types of wood.