Fauna
Plant

American Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

Also known as Common Persimmon, Eastern Persimmon, Possumwood, Sugar Plum

American persimmon trees anchor eastern hardwood forests, producing dense heartwood and bright orange autumn fruits that persist long after leaves drop. Possessing distinct deeply furrowed bark resembling charred wooden blocks, mature trees thrive in a wide range of soil conditions from alluvial floodplains to dry upland ridges. Opossums, raccoons, and white-tailed deer feast on the fallen autumn harvest, aiding seed dispersal across native ranges.

DeciduousNative TreeWildlife Food
American Persimmon reference1 / 7
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Opossum
  • Raccoon
ThreatsHabitat clearance and persimmon wilt fungal disease
HabitatsHardwood forests, abandoned fields, floodplains, fence rows
Life span100–150 years
Classification
  1. OrderEricales
  2. FamilyEbenaceae
  3. GenusDiospyros
  4. SpeciesDiospyros virginiana
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild fruits have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fruits based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Bark Identification: Look for deeply checkered, dark grey to black bark that breaks into thick square tiles.
  • Autumn Observation: Look for orange orb-shaped fruit remaining attached after the leaves drop in late autumn.
  • Wildlife Tracking: Scan the ground beneath female trees in autumn to spot tracks of visiting mammals.
Related species
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