Diospyros kaki

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Diospyros kaki
Kaki 20041002.jpg
Botanical details of buds, flowers and fruit
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ebenaceae
Genus: Diospyros
Species:
D. kaki
Binomial name
Diospyros kaki
Synonyms

Diospyros chinensis Blume ( nom. nud. )Diospyros kaki L.f.

Contents

Two kaki fruits, one cut open Fuyu persimmon fruits, one cut open.jpg
Two kaki fruits, one cut open
The fruit of Kaki. Plaquemine (Fr). Kaki (En). Japanese persimmon, kaki persimmon. (Diospyros kaki Thunb., 1780) Plaquemine. Kaki. Japanese persimmon, kaki persimmon. (Diospyros kaki Thunb., 1780).JPG
The fruit of Kaki. Plaquemine (Fr). Kaki (En). Japanese persimmon, kaki persimmon. (Diospyros kaki Thunb., 1780)

The persimmon is an edible sweet, slightly tangy fruit with a soft to occasionally fibrous texture. This species, native to China, is deciduous, with broad, stiff leaves. It was first cultivated in China more than 2000 years ago, and introduced to Japan in the 7th century and to Korea in the 14th century. [9] It was later introduced to California and southern Europe in the 19th century, to Brazil in the 1890s. [10] Numerous cultivars have been selected, and one variety is Diospyros kaki var. sylvestris[ citation needed ]Makino.

When ripe, the fruit comprises thick pulpy jelly encased in a waxy thin-skinned shell. The spherical to oval fruit, bearing the indented stem and four sepals, can weigh up to 500 grams (18 oz). The smooth, shiny, thin shell ranges in shade from yellow to red-orange. The slightly lighter fleshed fruits can contain up to eight seeds and may have an astringent taste. With increasing maturity, the fruit softens, similar to a kiwifruit.[ citation needed ]

The high content of tannin in the still-immature kaki provides a bitter component reminiscent of a raw unpeeled chestnut, which weakens with progressive maturation. The furry taste, caused by the tannins, is reduced and finally completely disappears during the ripening process.[ citation needed ]

The astringent flavour can be removed by treatment with carbon dioxide. [11]

Varieties

Diospyros kaki
Kaki (Chinese characters).svg
The Chinese character for "persimmon"

Kaki varieties are classified into four basic types, depending on the solubility of their tannin and the presence of seeds. Soluble tannin means that the fruit will have an acrid taste. Insoluble tannin means that there is no acrid taste. In some cases, the presence of seeds will turn the tannin insoluble in the whole of the fruit and in other cases only just around the seeds. this results in the following classification:

Practically and commercially, only the first two kaki types are important. The other two types are considered astringent kakis for practical reasons and are handled just like the PCA type fruit.

Chemistry

Apart from tannins, triterpenoid compounds such as α-amyrin, uvaol, ursolic acid, 19α-hydroxy ursolic acid and 19 α,24-dihydroxy ursolic acid can be isolated from the leaves of D. kaki. [12]

The high content of the carotenoids beta-cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin, along with some lutein and alpha-carotene makes the kaki fruit nutritionally valuable. [13]

Cultivation

Variety "Koushu-Hyakume" (astringent - for making dried kaki) Persimmon(Koushu-Hyakume).jpg
Variety "Koushu-Hyakume" (astringent - for making dried kaki)

Kaki are grown worldwide, with 90 percent of the total in China, Japan and Korea. In East Asia the main harvest time for kaki is in the months of October and November. The trees lose their leaves by harvest time. Occasionally, the brightly colored fruit is left unharvested on the tree as a decorative effect.

Cultivation of this species at first spread through East Asia. Since the 19th century, kaki partially replaced date-plum (Diospyros lotus, also known as Caucasian persimmon) in some countries in South Europe and West Asia, because kaki have bigger fruits than date-plum; cultivation in California began at that time.

The "Sharon" is a trade name for the "Triumph" variety grown in the fertile Plain of Sharon in Israel. It is a PCA variety which is always treated with carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas to remove astringency before it is marketed. This kaki has a rather squarish shape and it has one of the highest sugar contents of all varieties. Unlike most other varieties, it has a very firm skin which gives it good keeping qualities and good resistance to handling.

In Spain, the most important kaki variety is "Rojo Brillante". This PCA variety is mostly grown in the Valencia region in a protected region of origin (DOP) called the "Ribera del Xuquer". During the last decade[ when? ] a CO₂ treatment procedure has been perfected by which nearly all Rojo Brillante kakis are treated to remove astringency while still retaining their firmness and keeping qualities. This treated kaki fruit is marketed as Spanish Persimon (with one 'm'). Because of this treatment, the "Rojo brillante" kaki has become an easily edible fruit highly appreciated internationally, with increased production.

In Italy the most widely grown variety is "Tipo" (PCA) and some other varieties in smaller quantities. Italy used to be the largest kaki exporting country in Europe, but export diminished significantly as the Spanish kaki succeeded. This drop in export is entirely due to the fact that until now Italian kakis are not CO₂ treated and thus can only be eaten after they have turned soft.[ citation needed ] Italy has recently developed a CO₂ treatment procedure that can be used on the Tipo variety but it is not commonly used yet.[ when? ]

Kaki is also produced in Albania, mainly in the Elbasan region. Since 1935–40, it is also grown in small quantities in Bulgaria, particularly in the Upper Thracian Plain and on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. [14] [15]

In astringent cultivars (cultivated varieties), the fruit has a high proanthocyanidin-type tannin content which makes the immature fruit astringent and bitter. [16] The tannin levels are reduced as the fruit matures. The fruit of those cultivars is not edible in its crisp, firm state; they're edible when soft ripe. The ripe fruit has a soft jelly-like consistency. The Japanese 'Hachiya' is a widely grown astringent cultivar. Other cultivars, such as 'Fuyu', do not contain tannins when firm. Those can be eaten like an apple or can be allowed to go to any stage of ripeness, including to the jelly-like stage. These non-astringent varieties are, however, considered to have a less complex flavor. [17]

United States

In the United States most diospyros kaki production takes place in the states of Florida and California. The first commercial orchards in Florida were planted in the 1870s. Most persimmon orchards in the US are small scale (70% less than 1 acre and 90% less than 5 acres). [18]

In culture

Throughout Asia, healing properties are attributed to the kaki. They are said to be helpful against stomach ailments and diarrhea. Immature fruits are said to be a treatment for fever, if they ripen in containers until they are sweet as honey. The juice of unripe fruit is said to lower blood pressure and the fruit stem to relieve a cough. To reinforce these effects, the fruit is peeled before use, exposed to the sunlight during the day and to the dew at night, until a white powdery coating forms.[ citation needed ]

A vase adorned with a kaki cake, a pine branch and an orange is a symbol of the desire for "great happiness in 100 affairs."[ citation needed ]

Consumption

Fuyu persimmon Persimmon (fuyu).jpg
Fuyu persimmon
Persimmons being hung from the eaves of a house to dry in Gifu Prefecture, Japan Hoshigaki Making.JPG
Persimmons being hung from the eaves of a house to dry in Gifu Prefecture, Japan

The leaves are commonly removed before serving. Though the skin is often removed, it may be eaten, especially when the fruit has ripened and the tannins have significantly broken down, reducing the astringency. They can also be dried; two fruits are attached to a string which is then hung over a pole.[ citation needed ]

In Korea, it is usually eaten as a dessert or when there are guests at home. The persimmon is cut into sections and the skin and core is usually removed. Persimmons are eaten dry during the winter, and they are very popular amongst children. In autumn, families and farmers from the rural areas collect persimmons and hang them to dry. Powdered sugar is sometimes added to enhance the sweetness.[ citation needed ]

Persimmon leaves used to wrap sushi is a regional speciality of Nara Prefecture, Japan. [19]

Persimmon vinegar may be made from Oriental persimmons.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiwifruit</span> Edible berries native to northeast Asia

Kiwifruit or Chinese gooseberry, is the edible berry of several species of woody vines in the genus Actinidia. The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit is oval, about the size of a large hen's egg: 5–8 centimetres in length and 4.5–5.5 cm in diameter. Kiwifruit has a thin, fuzzy, fibrous, tart but edible light brown skin and light green or golden flesh with rows of tiny, black, edible seeds. The fruit has a soft texture with a sweet and unique flavour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rambutan</span> Southeast Asian fruit

Rambutan is a medium-sized tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae. The name also refers to the edible fruit produced by this tree. The rambutan is native to Southeast Asia. It is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits, including the lychee, longan, pulasan, and quenepa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Persimmon</span> Edible fruit

The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros. The most widely cultivated of these is the kaki persimmon, Diospyros kaki – Diospyros is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-persimmon species of the genus are grown for ebony timber. In 2019, China produced 75% of the world total of persimmons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quince</span> Species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae

The quince is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the Malinae subtribe of the Rosaceae family. It is a deciduous tree that bears hard, aromatic bright golden-yellow pome fruit, similar in appearance to a pear. Ripe quince fruits are hard, tart, and astringent. They are eaten raw or processed into marmalade, jam, paste or alcoholic beverages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fruit tree pollination</span>

Pollination of fruit trees is required to produce seeds with surrounding fruit. It is the process of moving pollen from the anther to the stigma, either in the same flower or in another flower. Some tree species, including many fruit trees, do not produce fruit from self-pollination, so pollinizer trees are planted in orchards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parthenocarpy</span> Production of seedless fruit without fertilisation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loquat</span> Species of plant

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherimoya</span> Edible fruit-bearing species of the genus Annona

The cherimoya, also spelled chirimoya and called chirimuya by the Inca people, is a species of edible fruit-bearing plant in the genus Annona, from the family Annonaceae, which includes the closely related sweetsop and soursop. The plant has long been believed to be native to Ecuador and Peru, with cultivation practised in the Andes and Central America, although a recent hypothesis postulates Central America as the origin instead, because many of the plant's wild relatives occur in this area.

<i>Artocarpus integer</i> Asian tree related to breadfruit and jackfruit

Artocarpus integer, commonly known as chempedak or cempedak, is a species of tree in the family Moraceae, in the same genus as breadfruit and jackfruit. It is native to Southeast Asia. Cempedak is an important crop in Malaysia and is also popularly cultivated in southern Thailand and parts of Indonesia, and has the potential to be utilized in other areas. It is currently limited in range to Southeast Asia, with some trees in Australia and Hawaii.

<i>Diospyros</i> Genus of trees and shrubs

Diospyros is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark timber, are commonly known as ebony trees, while others are valued for their fruit and known as persimmon trees. Some are useful as ornamentals and many are of local ecological importance. Species of this genus are generally dioecious, with separate male and female plants.

<i>Diospyros virginiana</i> Species of tree

Diospyros virginiana is a persimmon species commonly called the American persimmon, common persimmon, eastern persimmon, simmon, possumwood, possum apples, or sugar plum. It ranges from southern Connecticut to Florida, and west to Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa. The tree grows in the wild but has been cultivated for its fruit and wood since prehistoric times by Native Americans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamarillo</span> Species of plant

The tamarillo is a tree or shrub in the flowering plant family Solanaceae. It bears the tamarillo, an egg-shaped edible fruit. It is also known as the tree tomato, tomate de árbol, tomate andino, tomate serrano, blood fruit, poor man's tomato, tomate de yuca, tomate de españa, sachatomate, berenjena, chilto and tamamoro in South America, tyamtar, rambheda or rukh tamatar in Nepal, and terong Belanda in Indonesia. It is popular globally, especially in Peru, Colombia, New Zealand, Ecuador, Nepal, Rwanda, Burundi, Australia, and Bhutan.

<i>Prunus cerasifera</i> Species of plum

Prunus cerasifera is a species of plum known by the common names cherry plum and myrobalan plum. It is native to Southeast Europe and Western Asia, and is naturalised in the British Isles and scattered locations in North America. Also naturalized in parts of SE Australia where it is considered to be a mildly invasive weed of bushland near urban centers. P. cerasifera is believed to one of the parents of the cultivated plum, Prunus domestica perhaps crossing with the sloe, Prunus spinosa, or perhaps the sole parent. This would make it a parent of most of the commercial varieties of plum in the UK and mainland Europe - Victoria, greengages, bullace etc.

<i>Ziziphus mauritiana</i> Species of plant

Ziziphus mauritiana, also known as Indian jujube, Indian plum, Chinese date, Chinee apple, ber and dunks is a tropical fruit tree species belonging to the family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused with the closely related Chinese jujube, but whereas Z. jujuba prefers temperate climates, Z. mauritiana is tropical to subtropical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Date-plum</span> Species of tree

Diospyros lotus, with common names date-plum,Caucasian persimmon, or lilac persimmon, is a widely cultivated species of the genus Diospyros, native to temperate Asia and southeast Europe. Its English name derives from the small fruit, which have a taste reminiscent of both plums and dates. It is among the oldest plants in cultivation.

<i>Diospyros mespiliformis</i> Species of tree

Diospyros mespiliformis, the jackalberry, is a large dioecious evergreen tree found mostly in the savannas of Africa. Jackals are fond of the fruit, hence the common names. It is a member of the family Ebenaceae, and is related to the true ebony and edible persimmon.

<i>Diospyros nigra</i> Species of tree

Diospyros nigra, the black sapote, is a species of persimmon. Common names include chocolate pudding fruit, black soapapple and zapote prieto. The tropical fruit tree is native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. The common name sapote refers to any soft, edible fruit. Black sapote is not related to white sapote nor mamey sapote. The genus Diospyros has numerous other fruit bearing tree species in addition to the persimmons and black sapote.

<i>Diospyros blancoi</i> Species of persimmon

Diospyros blancoi,, commonly known as velvet apple, velvet persimmon, kamagong, or mabolo tree, is a tree of the genus Diospyros of ebony trees and persimmons. It produces edible fruit with a fine, velvety, reddish-brown fur-like covering. The fruit has a soft, creamy, pink flesh, with a taste and aroma comparable to peaches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fig</span> Species of flowering plant known as the common fig

The fig is the edible fruit of Ficus carica, a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae, native to the Mediterranean region, together with western and southern Asia. It has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world. Ficus carica is the type species of the genus Ficus, containing over 800 tropical and subtropical plant species.

<i>Diospyros dichrophylla</i> Species of tree

Diospyros dichrophylla (Gand.) De Winter is a Southern African tree belonging to the ebony family of Ebenaceae and closely related to the Persimmon.

References

  1. IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group & Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) (2021). "Diospyros gokugaki". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T173538A197891373. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  2. Lee, Sangtae; Chang, Kae Sun, eds. (2015). English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. p. 443. ISBN   978-89-97450-98-5 . Retrieved 12 March 2019 via Korea Forest Service.
  3. 1 2 "Diospyros kaki". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  4. Published in Nova Acta Soc. Sc. Upsal. iii. 208, author Carl Peter Thunberg, [Thunb.] (1780); later in Fl. Jap. 157, author Thunb. (1784). "Plant Name Details for Diospyros kaki". IPNI . Retrieved 12 October 2009.
  5. Jules Janick, ed. (22 June 2010). "6. Persimmon genetics and breeding". Plant Breeding Reviews. Vol. 57. John Wiley & Sons. p. 193. ISBN   978-0-470-65016-5.
  6. "Diospyros kaki Thunb". ITIS.
  7. "Diospyros kaki L. f." ITIS.
  8. Yasuda, F.; Kobayashi, T.; Watanabe, H.; Izawa, H. (2003). "Addition of Pestalotiopsis spp. to leaf spot pathogens of Japanese persimmon". J. Gen. Plant Pathol. 69 (1): 29–32. Bibcode:2003JGPP...69...29Y. doi:10.1007/s10327-002-0011-1. S2CID   21156821.
  9. Martínez-Calvo, J.; Naval, M.; Zuriaga, E.; Llácer, G.; Badenes, M. L. (1 January 2013). "Morphological characterization of the IVIA persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) germplasm collection by multivariate analysis". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 60 (1): 233–241. doi:10.1007/s10722-012-9828-4. ISSN   1573-5109. S2CID   16838322.
  10. The Japanese persimmon was first introduced to the State of São Paulo, afterward expanding across Brazil through Japanese immigration; State of São Paulo is still the greatest producer, with an area of 3,610 hectares dedicated to Japanese persimmon culture in 2003; cf. Archived 14 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Matsuo, Tomoaki; Shinohara, Jun-ichi; Ito, Saburo (1976). "An Improvement on Removing Astringency in Persimmon Fruits by Carbon Dioxide Gas". Agricultural and Biological Chemistry. 40 (1). Oxford University Press (OUP): 215–217. doi:10.1080/00021369.1976.10862021. ISSN   0002-1369.
  12. Effect of five triterpenoid compounds isolated from leaves of Diospyroskaki on stimulus-induced superoxide generation and tyrosyl phosphorylation in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Guang Chen, Huangwei Lu, Chunlei Wang, Koichi Yamashita, Masanobu Manabe, Suixu Xu and Hiroyuki Kodama, Clinica Chimica Acta, June 2002, Volume 320, Issues 1–2, Pages 11–16, doi : 10.1016/S0009-8981(02)00021-9
  13. Zhou, Chunhua; Zhao, Daqiu; Sheng, Yanle; Tao, Jun; Yang, Yong (2011). "Carotenoids in Fruits of Different Persimmon Cultivars". Molecules. 16 (1): 624–636. doi: 10.3390/molecules16010624 . PMC   6259468 . PMID   21242942. Table 3
  14. Иванова, Венелина (21 November 2010). "Най-вкусна е райска ябълка, узряла на клона". 24 часа (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  15. A.I. Yordanov; S.G. Tabakov; V.I. Lichev; G.I. Govedarov (2013). "Testing of newly introduced persimmon cultivars in Bulgaria". Acta Horticulturae (996). International Society for Horticultural Science: 367–370. doi:10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.996.52. ISSN   2406-6168.
  16. A model experiment for de-astringency of persimmon fruit with high carbon dioxide treatment: in vitro gelation of kaki-tannin by reacting with acetaldehyde. Matsuo T and Itoo S, Agricultural and Biological Chemistry, 1982, 46(3), pages 683-689
  17. Crain, Liz (3 November 2006). "Whether Asian or American, persimmons will grow on you". The Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  18. Sarkhosh, Ali; Andersen, Peter C.; Huff, Dustin M. "JAPANESE PERSIMMON CULTIVARS IN FLORIDA1". University of Florida. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  19. MATCHA (30 May 2022). "Sushi Wrapped in a Leaf? Try the Persimmon Leaf Sushi in Nara". MATCHA - JAPAN TRAVEL WEB MAGAZINE. Retrieved 6 January 2024.