<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Tahoma",sans-serif">The Texas Persimmon is a deciduous or semi-evergreen large
shrub or small tree normally growing to 3-5 m (10-15 ft) tall
but potentially reaching 12 m (35 ft) in the southern parts of its range. It is usually multi-trunked and has very hard
wood. The heartwood, produced in very large, older trunks, is black, similar
to the heartwood of its relative (Diospyros ebenum), and its sapwood is
clear yellow. Bark is light gray to white, smooth, thin, and sometimes peeling
off in rectangular flakes to reveal a pink-coral layer beneath. Leaves can be up
to 4 cm (2 in) usually only grow to 2 cm (1 in). They are firm, rounded or
slightly notched at the tip, and obovate tapering toward the base with glabrous or
tomentose leaf surfaces, and smooth margins that curve downward. Flowers that appear
in March and April are dioecious, white, urn shaped, approximately 1 cm (1/2
in) long, and arranged singly or in small clusters among the new leaves. When flowers
are successfully pollinated, they will produce a black to dark purple 2 cm (1
in) fleshy, round and sweet fruit at maturity in late July to September. <o:p></o:p>
