The persimmon or kaki is a tropical fruit of more or less orange colour, of smooth skin and a very sweet taste. It is consumed as fresh fruit, although it is also used in cakes or jams. It is an important source of vitamins A and C.

Different parts of the persimmon are used for medicinal purposes: the fruit, the leaves, the tree bark or even the flowers. It lowers the blood pressure, it relieves cough and prevents arteriosclerosis, among many other properties.

The persimmon or kaki is a tropical fruit of more or less orange colour, of smooth skin and a very sweet taste. It is consumed as fresh fruit, although it is also used in cakes or jams. It is an important source of vitamins A and C.

There are mainly three species of kaki, the Chinese, the Japanese and the species from Virginia. The traditional varieties were astringent, but in the newly obtained varieties this characteristic has been reduced up to a great extent.

In general it is consumed fresh. It is edible when soft, with transparent skin, so it is eaten with a spoon. It is possible to eat it dried or as part of puddings, pies or jams.

Its nutritious importance lies in its vitamin wealth, mainly vitamin A and C. It also provides small amounts of vitamin B1, B2 and B3.

There exist two types of kaki cultivated: Dyospiros kaki and Dyospiros Lotus, that is used as pattern. This tree may reach 18m of height, although when it is cultivated it is left to grow only 5-6m. It is scarcely branched and the habit is more or less pyramidal, although with time it turns into a globose tree. Another type of persimmon of which we eat the fruits is Dyospiros virginiana, although it is not frequently cultivated and it is usually eaten from wild trees.

The leaves are of a colour that ranges from green to orange red. They are deciduous, oval and they are slightly hairy in the lower surface. The persimmon has a peculiar reproduction system. Some trees bear masculine and feminine flowers, some others bear only one type of flowers (masculine or feminine), whereas the rest bear hermaphrodite flowers. The flowers are generally arranged in groups of three. The feminine flowers are large, of greenish petals, and arranged individually. At present only the feminine trees are cultivated.