Riper persimmons can also be eaten by removing the top leaf, breaking the fruit in half and eating from the inside out.
Commonly consumed fruits include blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, persimmons, mulberries, apples, plums, grapes and acorns.
Astringent persimmons contain very high levels of soluble tannins and are unpalatably astringent (or furry tasting) if eaten before completely softened.
In autumn, families and farmers from the rural areas collect persimmons and hang them to dry.
The black sapote is also unrelated and is actually a species of persimmon.
Persimmon bezoars (diospyrobezoars) often occur in epidemics in regions where the fruit is grown.
There is a third type, less commonly available, the pollination-variant non-astringent persimmons.
Diospyrobezoars should not be of concern when consuming moderate quantities of persimmons.
