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Persimmon is a delicious fruit of the genus Diospyros. In Greek, Diospyros means fruit of the Gods. Native to China, this fruit has been cultivated widely in Japan and other parts of Asia. The plant was introduced to California in early nineteenth Century. I saw this attractive fruit, resembling a tomato while on a visit to San Francisco, several years back. It was a pleasant surprise to see these growing in Gushaini on the Thirthan Valley. Raju of the Raju’s Cottage ( 10yearitch.com/?p=3741 ) fame informed me that the Horticulture Department of Himachal Pradesh has not only popularized its cultivation, but has also imported a new variety which can be eaten raw. Usually, the fruit contains huge quantities of tannin and is astringent and unpleasant to the palate when raw. This variety, the Japanese cultivar, fuyu can be eaten when not very ripe. No wonder the locals call this “Japanese Fruit”.