Nature of the Lake: American Persimmon

Persimmon is one of the sweetest treats that grow on a tree – if they’re ripe

Photo by Kenneth Boone

Heaven or hell.

That might be a slight exaggeration when talking about the tastes of our native persimmon fruit. But with 36 percent sugar, a ripe persimmon is one of the sweetest fruits growing wild in North America. And just ask anyone who has bitten into an unripened persimmon – after they’ve recovered from an overwhelming mouth pucker – whether that second descriptor fits the bill.