Persimmons come in a few varieties, all edible fruits of trees belonging to the Diospyros genus.
The most common persimmon is the Oriental persimmon, scientifically known as the Diospyros kaki.
The majority of the world’s persimmons come from China, though North America has plenty of wild persimmons.
However, let’s get right to the question:
Do Persimmons Ripen After Being Picked?
Persimmons, like many other fruits, lack enough ethylene to continue ripening once they’ve been picked. That means if you want fully ripe persimmons, you need to leave them on the tree until they are showing all the signs of being ready to be picked and consumed.
How Do You Ripen a Persimmon?
Persimmons don’t continue ripening much naturally after they are picked, so there is only so much you can do to help it along. Many people allow them to set out at room temperature for several weeks, others freeze them for several months. Placing the fruit in a paper bag with an apple or banana for several days is an option as well.
How to Tell if a Persimmon is Ripe?
When persimmons are ripe, they become slightly plumper, sweet, and juicy. When you squeeze the fruit with your finger tips, the fruit should be soft, almost as soft as jelly. That said, if it is mushy, and the skin tears open, the persimmon is overripe.
What Color Should My Persimmon Be?
Depending on the species, a fully ripe persimmon is typically red, yellow, or orange. Wild persimmons, on the other hand, are bluish purple and have large hard seeds in their centers. The wild varieties aren’t edible until they start falling from the tree.
Are Raw Persimmons Safe to Eat?
Raw persimmons are perfectly safe to eat, as is most fruit. Persimmons are somewhat similar to a peach, and you can eat them in just as many ways as you could eat a peach (from the hand, in slices, chopped up as a topping, and more).
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
