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Common persimmon identification: leaves, bark, fruit and twigs
Common persimmon, Diospyros virginiana, is a native tree in Pennsylvania. How to recognize it by its leaves, bark, fruit and twigs, and how to tell it from look-alikes.
Alternate, simple leaves with smooth edges. Glossy, smooth-edged oval leaves 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, paler underneath. Bark: Gray-brown with orange in the cracks when young; later dark and broken into thick, square, scaly blocks. Checked Nov. 14, 2026.
How to identify common persimmon
| Leaf type | Alternate, simple leaves with smooth edges |
|---|---|
| Leaves | Glossy, smooth-edged oval leaves 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, paler underneath. |
| Bark | Gray-brown with orange in the cracks when young; later dark and broken into thick, square, scaly blocks. |
| Fruit | Plum-like fruit 3/4 to 2 inches across with leafy caps, green then orange to nearly black when ripe. |
| Twigs | Slender light brown to gray twigs with no true end bud. |
| Size and shape | Small to medium tree up to about 60 feet with a round top of crooked branches. |
From the Virginia Tech Dendrology fact sheet, in our own words.
Is common persimmon native to Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) lists common persimmon as native to Pennsylvania.
See all 140 trees, with a 4-question identifier, in our Pennsylvania tree identification guide.
Trees that look like common persimmon
| Tree | Its leaves |
|---|---|
| Black gum Nyssa sylvatica | Alternate, simple leaves with smooth edges. Glossy smooth-edged leaves 3 to 5 inches long, widest near the tip, sometimes with a few coarse teeth or shallow lobes near the end. |
| Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum | Alternate, simple leaves with toothed edges. Leaves 4 to 7 inches long with very fine teeth; chew one and it tastes sour. |
| Sassafras Sassafras albidum | Alternate, simple leaves with lobes. Fragrant, smooth-edged leaves 3 to 6 inches long in three shapes, often on the same tree: unlobed, two-lobed like a mitten, and three-lobed. |
Compare the leaves first, then the bark, fruit and twigs on each tree’s page.
Questions
How do you identify common persimmon?
Look for alternate, simple leaves with smooth edges. Glossy, smooth-edged oval leaves 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, paler underneath. Bark: Gray-brown with orange in the cracks when young; later dark and broken into thick, square, scaly blocks.
Is common persimmon native to Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) lists common persimmon as native to Pennsylvania.
How big does common persimmon get?
Small to medium tree up to about 60 feet with a round top of crooked branches.
How can you tell common persimmon in winter?
Check the twigs and bark. Twigs: Slender light brown to gray twigs with no true end bud. Bark: Gray-brown with orange in the cracks when young; later dark and broken into thick, square, scaly blocks.
What tree looks like common persimmon?
Black gum, Sourwood, Sassafras. Compare the leaves first.
Sources: Virginia Tech Dendrology (Diospyros virginiana fact sheet); Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, PA Vascular Plant List (native or introduced status). Checked Nov. 14, 2026.
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