Unlike other fruit trees that have vertical ridges that run up and down their trunk, persimmon trees display a pattern made up of blocks. When wounds in the tree bark are created by mechanical means or the gummosis fungus, metallic wood beetles of the family Buprestidae lay eggs in the wounds. It has shiny green leaves and gray-brown bark along its trunk and branches. Fungal diseases and wood-devouring pests. Blue has a Ph.D. in biological sciences from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and wrote scientific articles for almost 20 years before starting to write gardening articles in 2004. Flatheaded borers eat the inner bark and can severely damage limbs. The deeply fissured bark, forming distinct rectangles, is one of the most recognizable features of persimmon trees. The Oriental or Japanese persimmon and the American persimmon (Diospyros spp.) To answer your question, in OLDER trees, the bark of persimmon and black gum (nyssa silvatica) have that same distintive blocky alligator type of bark, similar to chestut oak if you're familiar with that, but instead of long furrows, it forms kindof short 4-8inch blocks. The inner bark of persimmon trees turns yellow when exposed to air. Both kinds of borers weaken the tree by forming small tunnels in the foliage, bark and roots. The persimmon is deciduous, and its leaves turn yellow, pink, red, or purple in autumn. How to Prune the Sucker Branches on Orange Trees, University of Florida Extension: Common Persimmon (Diospyros Virginiana), Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Purdue University: Japanese Persimmon, Science Photo Library: Chinese Persimmon Bark, Diospyros Kaki, Persimmon Pudding: Cultivars and Hybrids of Diospyros Virginiana, the Common, or American Persimmon, Difference Between Aralia Spinosa and Aralia Elata. However, trees can be infested with the gummosis fungus (Botryspharia dothidia), flatheaded borers or by scales that attach to the bark on branches and twigs. It produces 1-inch, round, golden fruit, savored by wildlife and humans. Here is a photograph of a young persimmon which exhibits the kind of bark markings you describe. Its fruit is round and appears yellow or orange. Persimmon tree bark, on the other hand, boasts a color and texture that give it year-round ornamental appeal. When its sap-transporting cells are exhausted, the tree pushes them to the surface to become protective outer bark. They’re square to rectangular, flat topped and separated by deep furrows. The bark of the persimmon tree looks as if it was made of building blocks. They used it to treat fungal infections. ), the old saying “Its bark is worse than its bite” simply doesn’t apply. Once ripe, it tastes very sweet; the fruit usually ripens in early fall. American Persimmon Diospyros virginiana Ebony family (Ebenaceae) Description: This medium-sized tree is typically 30-70' tall, consisting of an erect trunk about 1-2' across and an oblongoid to ovoid crown. The bark forms distinct rectangles, which a distinct feature of the tree. For more facts on the bark and its history, read on! Surprisingly Ornamental! That’s what persimmon bark scales resemble. Besides being the building blocks for the outer bark, American persimmon trees’ inner bark has a long history of medicinal use: Think of the bark as a suit of wool-lined armor, protecting the trees against: Expert gardener’s tip When caring for persimmon trees, take care not to damage their bark. Diseases of Persimmons. Only one tree can claim the lofty title of "food of the gods from Virginia." The bark should be dark-gray to grayish-brown, thick and with short furrows that create square, block-like ridges. On mature trees, the trunk bark is charcoal or black, streaked with dark gray. The wounds invite an infestation of phloem-devouring flathead borers. Bite into an unripe persimmon, and your mouth will dry out, pucker up and feel as if it’s filled with sandpaper. The tree can grow to heights of 35 to 60 feet and widths of 35 feet. Look at the bark to identify the persimmon tree. Picture a tree trunk covered in charcoal briquettes. It is a small tree, rarely exceedinf; 50 feet in height and 18 inches in diameter, occurring throughout the State, except in the high mountains. In any discussion of persimmon trees (Diospyros spp. Trees -- Georgia. The unusual bark pattern, even in the absence of any other clue, makes persimmon trees one of the easiest trees to identify. Persimmon trees belong to the ebony (Ebenaceae) family of trees that are valued for their dark wood. It’s relatively easy to learn to pick out persimmons in the forest based on their simple, glossy leaves (sometimes splotched with black) and, in mature trees, the distinctive, charcoal-colored, checkered bark. Each type of persimmon tree comes in many varieties. That’s the fragile layer of tissue where the xylem (sapwood) and phloem (inner bark) are made. The bark can sometimes be infected with gummosis fungi and flatheads eat the inner bark and can damage limbs. Study the fruits to spot the persimmon. Only the trunks have such distinctive bark; the branches remain smooth. Female trees produce large orange-brown fleshy fruit that are edible after the first frost. Young bark is pale gray or reddish brown. Throughout the summertime, persimmon trees may also suffer defoliation due to caterpillars. Fewer know there are male and female persimmon trees, and, as you might guess, only the female trees bear persimmon fruit. The Ebony family (Ebenacea) consists of two genera, Euclea and Diospyros. In home landscapes, they’re striking ornamental features when paired with the trees’ ripe yellow, orange or red fruit or a backdrop of snow. Fewer know there are male and female persimmon trees, and, as you might guess, only the female trees bear persimmon fruit. The genus Diospyros includes the two major types of persimmon trees, the American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) and the Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki), both grown in the United States. Agrilus fuscipennis affects the bark of mature persimmons, whereas Sannina uroceriformis tends to be most damaging to the stems and roots of younger trees. As it ages, the trunk bark develops fissures revealing the orange-brown inner bark. The mature persimmon’s bark will ultimately be a uniquely square-blocked, ridged formation that is quite distinctive. The inner bark moves sap throughout the trees. Based in Connecticut, Marie-Luise Blue writes a local gardening column and has been published in "Organic Gardening" and "Back Home." Cold. The bark’s black color and obvious block pattern make identifying wild persimmon trees a snap. Native persimmon is not readily available in nurseries, but several selected cultivars are produced for their edible fruit. What Does a Persimmon Tree Look Like? ^ PERSIMMON {Diospyros virginiana L.) THE persimmon, often called "simmon," is well known throughout its ranjje. The Japanese persimmon tree, also called Chinese persimmon, hails from Asia and reaches a height of about 20 to 30 feet. Both types of persimmon trees have bark with unusual coloring and a unique pattern. By the late 19th century, doctors were relying on the inner bark’s antiseptic properties to treat skin ulcers, diphtheria and venereal disease. The Japanese persimmon tree is valued for its fruit and ornamental value and thrives in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. The American persimmon tree, also called common persimmon, is native to the United States, growing 15 to 50 feet tall in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. The unusual bark pattern, even in the absence of any other clue, makes persimmon trees one of the easiest trees to identify. Fruit from the wild persimmon tree was used as food and medicine by the Native Americans. Persimmon trees are generally pest and disease free. A persimmon tree’s bark comes from a its cambium. It bears red, round or oval fruits, 3 to 6 inches in diameter. American and Oriental persimmon trees. That, as expert forager Steve Brill reports, is the translation of the scientific name of the wild persimmon, Diospyrus virginiana. The Native American Catawbas of the Carolina Piedmont region made a mouthwash by boiling persimmons’ inner bark. Bark damage Persimmon trees are generally pest and disease free.