Diospyros nigra

chocolate persimmon

The chocolate persimmon is a lovely evergreen tree with a large dense canopy for shade and grows up to 25 feet or more. Most of the chocolate persimmon fruit in South Florida ripen from October through March so they are a good tropical fruit crop in the winter. A very close relative of the Asian persimmon, the chocolate persimmon is native to coastal Mexico and now cultivated in the Philippines, Australia, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Hawaii, and Florida.

The chocolate persimmon looks like a giant green tomato with a thin but firm rind. The green fruit is picked when hard and allowed to soften and go brown within 3-6 days. Completely ripe fruits are often dark brown to black and look like they’re ready for the compost pile, but looks can be deceiving because that is when they’re perfect for eating with a spoon. The fruit flesh is a rich, dark brown color and custard-like in texture, resembling chocolate pudding. The taste is rich, with a sweet, nut-like mild flavor.

The ripe, raw fruit is eaten with a spoon or eaten mixed in milk or citrus juice, made into ice cream or blended into smoothies and milkshakes. Many different drinks are made from it, as well as liquor. Fruits can be cut in half and eaten covered in passion fruit, in Mexico the pulp is mashed with orange juice or brandy and served with cream, it is also delicious mixed with wine, cinnamon and sugar.

Unripe fruits have white flesh and are not edible. They will dry your mouth to a pucker with their bitter, highly astringent qualities. In order to ensure your fruit is absolutely mature and delicious, let it sit on the counter for several days until it turns brown, becomes very soft and starts oozing sweet syrup. I find that keeping them in the refrigerator will extend the life of ripe fruit for at least a week, with the fruit continuing to sweeten. For longer storage, the pulp should be removed from the fruit and frozen.

Chocolate persimmon fruits have relatively high amounts of potassium and are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, with nearly four times that of an orange.