By Nadia Navarrete-Tindall

Dr. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, the Specialty Crops Director at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO, is an advisor to the Grow Native! program, and owns Native Plants and More, a consultation business. She lives in Columbia, MO and is originally from El Salvador.

Persimmon trees are medium-sized trees with distinctive, dark brown to black bark with rectangular blocks, similar to alligator hide. Male and female flowers appear in May to June on separate trees. October frosts signal the beginning of persimmon season. When ripe, persimmon fruits turn yellowish to pale orange and taste similar to apricots. Prior to ripening, the fruits have an astringent taste. Trees tend to sucker and form thickets but can be kept in check by mowing.

Persimmon trees grow best in full sun in moist, well-drained soil but it will adapt to drier locations. May be difficult to transplant. Plant in spring as a small tree for best results. Needs two sexes to fruit.

Persimmons can be harvested in the fall. It is advisable to gather them after the first frost but some mature before. The tree grows across Missouri in different soil types. For more information and recipe in Spanish, click here. 

Filling Ingredients

½ cup brown sugar 

½ cup brown sugar 

1 cup wheat/1 cup rice flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup of sugar

½ teaspoon ground spicebush (dry berries)

¼ cup butter

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ cup canola oil

½ cup oatmeal

1 egg beaten

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup of chopped small pecans (MO source)

1 cup of dried cranberries (organic if possible)

1 cup of native persimmon pulp 

Photo by Nadia Navarrete-Tindall.