Zezhou Sweet Persimmon

Zezhou Sweet Persimmon

　　Zezhou Sweet Persimmon thrives in warm climates and is mainly grown in hilly and rocky mountainous areas below an altitude of 1,100 meters in regions such as Yangcheng, Zezhou, Qinshui, Gaoping, and Lingchuan. It is often found at the foot of mountains.

Sweet persimmons have been cultivated in Jincheng City for over 400 years and are a traditional local specialty berry fruit. According to the "Yangcheng County Annals" from the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty: “The county originally had no persimmon trees. During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, Magistrate Wang Liangchen from Xinzhen brought persimmon seeds from his hometown and encouraged every household to plant them. Initially, it was laborious, but later the trees were successfully grafted and flourished, providing timber and fruit, bringing benefits to the people.”

Zezhou Sweet Persimmon is high in sugar and of excellent quality. Varieties such as Summer Yellow Persimmon and Zao Persimmon ripen early and are in season, with orange-yellow flesh that is dense in texture, low in fiber, sweet, juicy, and seedless. Ripe persimmons have a pulp-like texture and taste as sweet as honey, making them a great nourishing food in autumn. Persimmon leaves can be used to make tea, which helps reduce heat, lower blood pressure, and aid in weight loss. Persimmon leaves are also very high in vitamin C—twice as much as lemons, which are known as a vitamin powerhouse.

Persimmons have medicinal value. According to "Compendium of Materia Medica": “The persimmon is a fruit that benefits the spleen, stomach, and blood. Its flavor is sweet and its nature mild, yet it has an astringent property that helps consolidation. Therefore, it can strengthen the spleen, astringe the intestines, treat coughs, and stop bleeding.” Modern medicine believes that persimmons can clear heat, moisten the intestines, and lower blood pressure, and are somewhat effective in treating hemorrhoidal bleeding and constipation.