Persimmon is an ancient temperate fruit, scientifically known as Diospyros kaki belonging to the family Ebenaceae. ‘Japaniphal’ is the local Himachal name of the exotic, deep orange-red coloured fruit, which is similar in appearance to a big ripened tomato.
The delicate fruit is native to China, then spread to Korea and Japan a very long time ago. In China it grows wild at altitudes up to 6,000-8,000 ft. (1,830-2,500 m). Early in the 14th century, Marco Polo recorded the persimmon trade in China. Korea has several traditional and historic ceremonies that feature the persimmon as “Nature’s Candy”. Some of the common names of persimmons are “Jove’s fire,” Oriental persimmon, Japanese persimmon, Kaki, etc.
Persimmons have a long history and can be traced all the way back to ancient Greece. In fact, they come from the ‘Diospyros’ genus, which means “fruit of....
