kaki

Kaki, in horticulture and cuisine, most often refers to the edible fruit of the persimmon tree, Diospyros kaki. The tree is native to China and has long been cultivated across East Asia; today it is grown in warm temperate regions around the world.

The fruit is typically bright orange when ripe, with a thin, smooth skin and a sweet, honey-like flavor. Depending on cultivar and ripeness, the flesh can be firm or very soft; astringency is caused by tannins in unripe fruit and is reduced or eliminated in many ready-to-eat varieties.

Two widely grown cultivars are Hachiya, elongated and very astringent until fully ripe, and Fuyu, squat and non-astringent, able to be eaten firm. Harvest occurs in autumn to early winter, and ripe fruit can be stored refrigerated for several weeks.

Nutritionally, kaki provides dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C, with calories similar to other fresh fruits. It is commonly eaten fresh, dried (the dried form is a traditional specialty in some cultures, known as hoshigaki in Japan), or used in desserts, jams, and baked goods.

Linguistically, kaki is the common name used in several East Asian languages for the persimmon fruit, while the English term persimmon is also used. The word and cultivation have cultural significance in regions where the fruit has been grown for centuries.