Persimmons are an attractive fruit with a vibrant orange to deep red colored skin when ripe.123 Their delicate skins have a glossy sheen and slippery texture.1 The flesh ranges from firm to custard-like depending on the variety and ripeness level.12 Astringent persimmon varieties like Hachiya must be eaten when extremely soft and ripe, with a pudding-like texture.13 Non-astringent types like Fuyu can be consumed when firm or soft.12 Persimmons bear edible, delicious fruit that is sweet when fully ripe, with flavors reminiscent of honey, spice, and apricot.123

Here are some of the major varieties of persimmons:

• Hachiya: The most widely grown astringent persimmon variety. Large, acorn-shaped fruit with deep orange-red color when ripe. Must be eaten extremely soft and ripe to avoid astringency.123

• Fuyu: The most popular non-astringent variety. Squat, tomato-shaped fruit with a flat bottom. Can be eaten when firm or soft.123

• Hiratanenashi: An astringent Japanese variety. Large, elongated fruit similar to Hachiya but more square in shape.13

• Jiro: A sweet, non-astringent Japanese persimmon with a flattened shape and deep orange color.13

• Saijo: An astringent persimmon from Japan with a unique square shape and pale orange color.13

• Chocolate/Coffee Cake: Non-astringent varieties with dark brown flesh surrounding the seeds.14

• Maru/Cinnamon: Non-astringent types with speckled orange-brown skin and flesh.134

• Tsurunoko: A pollination-variant persimmon that must be pollinated to become non-astringent.3

While Hachiya and Fuyu dominate commercial production, many other unique astringent and non-astringent varieties are grown by smaller orchards and farms.134

The data highlights how persimmon cultivation is concentrated in East Asian countries like China, Korea, and Japan due to favorable climates and long cultivation histories.1234 Other major agricultural nations focus on staple crops suited to their regions.