The persimmon is a small to large (20-60 feet tall) tree that is tolerant of a wide range of soils though it is usually found in dry, poor, soils in thickety woodland edges and occasionally as a large overstory canopy tree. They are dioeceous trees with separate male and female individuals. The females produce small quarter to half-dollar sized fruits that range in quality from astringent to sweet. They are best eaten once they are soft and have started falling from the tree. Unripe fruit is unpleasant to eat. Zone 4-9. VA ecotype.