Persimmon 柿（カキ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Can you tell what this is? If not, take a look at the second photo of a flower and calyxes! Yes, this is a persimmon flower. Until I saw the flower yesterday I hadn't imagined the persimmon produced flowers (although I've eaten the fruit countless times)!!

I learned from the internet that the persimmon produces male, female and hermaphrodite flowers and it seems that these flowers in these photos are hermaphroditic, meaning having male and female reproductive organs within the same flower. The persimmon's world is so diverse!   

A persimmon flower　柿の花

A persimmon flower and calyxes　柿の花とへた

Diospyros Rhombifolia (Princess Persimmon) 老鴉柿（ロウヤガキ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are the fruits of diospyros rhombifolia or commonly known as princess persimmon at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. A few days ago, I wrote about diospyros cathayensis Steward (cathay persimmon). Both trees were side by side and the fruits resemble each other, so without the plant labels, I would have thought they were the same tiny persimmons. But there's an obvious difference between the two, which I couldn't see at that time. Princess persimmon is deciduous while cathay persimmon is evergreen. (Take a look at the second picture!)

The garden, about 40 acres in Central Tokyo, was opened by the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century to grow medicinal herbs. In 1877, after the Meiji Restoration, it became a part of Tokyo Imperial University and currently the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science. The admission fee is JPY500 (i.e., about USD4.5) for adults.

Diospyros rhombifolia 老鴉柿（ロウヤガキ）

Diospyros Cathayensis Steward (Cathay Persimmon) 四川常盤柿（シセントキワガキ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are the fruits of diospyros cathayensis Steward at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden. 

I first thought they were kumquats but when getting closer, I found they weren't. They're a little smaller than ping pong balls, i.e., almost the same size as kumquats, but the color and skin texture are different. Then, I realized that they were persimmons! They're "mini," but, according to information on the internet, edible and sweet😊.  

The Koishikawa Botanical Garden, a garden about 40 acres in Central Tokyo, was opened by the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century to grow medicinal herbs. In 1877, after the Meiji Restoration, it became a part of Tokyo Imperial University and currently the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science. The admission fee is JPY500 (i.e., about USD4.5) for adults. 

Diospyros cathayensis steward 2 cm in diameter 直径2センチぐらいの四川常盤柿

They're edible! 食べられますよ！

Season of Fruits - Persimmon, Hassaku/Ponkan Oranges 果物の季節 - 柿、ハッサク、ポンカン

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Autumn is the time of harvest!!

Astringent or not, that is the question 渋か甘か、それが問題だ