Scientific name: Diospyros virginiana 
Common names:  Eastern persimmon, possumwood, American ebony, white ebony, bara-bara, boa-wood, butterwood
Relatives: a genus of over 550 species.  The closest relatives being the Black sapote, D. dignia; mabolo, Velvet Apple, D. blancoi; Japanese persimmon, D. kaki; Texas persimmon D. texana; Date Plum (D. lotus)
Family: Ebenaceae
Origin: North America
USDA hardiness zones: 4b- 9b
Uses: Fruit; reclamation; specimen; urban tolerant; highway median; bonsai.
Height if grown from seed (non grafted): 40-60 ft (18-18 m)
Spread if grown from seed (non grafted): 20-35 ft (6-10.6 m)
Crown: Crown irregular, oval, pyramidal
Plant habit: The trunk typically ascends up through the crown in a curved but very dominant fashion, rarely producing double or multiple leaders.
Growth rate: Moderate
Longevity: 50-150 years
Trunk/bark/branches: Thick trunk; mature bark dark grey, thick and blocky; branches droop; thorns
Pruning requirement: Little required
Leaves: Deciduous; simple; alternate; glossy and leathery; 2-4 in. (5-10 cm) wide; 4-8 in. (10-20.3 cm) long
Flowers: Dioecious, require cross pollination
Fruit: Fruits only on female trees; round, 1-3 in. (2.5-7.6 cm); fleshy; orange; good fruit crops are borne every 2 years
Season: September -November
Light requirement: Partial shade to full sun. Full sun is best for fruit production.
Soil tolerances: Clay; sand; loam; alkaline; acidic; extended flooding; well-drained
pH preference: Highly acidic to slightly alkaline
Drought tolerance: High
Aerosol salt tolerance: High
Cold tolerance: -17 °C
Plant spacing: 15ft (4.6m)
Roots: Coarsely-branched; long tap root that makes transplanting difficult
Invasive potential: Little invasive potential
Pest resistance: Sensitive to pests/diseases; susceptible to verticillium wilt