Diospyros kaki, also known as the persimmon or the Oriental persimmon, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Diospyros. The persimmon is a sweet, slightly tangy fruit with a soft to occasionally fibrous texture. Although its first botanical description was not published until 1780, D. kaki is among the oldest cultivated plants, having been in use in China for more than 2000 years. In some rural Chinese communities, the fruit is seen as having a great mystical power that can be harnessed to cure headaches, back pains and foot ache. This species, native to China, is deciduous, with broad, stiff leaves. Cultivation extended first to other parts of East Asia, including Japan, where it is very popular. It was later introduced to California and southern Europe in the 19th century and later to Brazil in the 1890s.Photograph credit: Frank Schulenburg