Persimmons tend to be light yellow-orange to dark red-orange in color, varying from 2-8 cm in diameter, and may be spherical, acorn or pumpkin shaped depending on the species. The calyx often remains attached to the fruit after picking. They are eaten fresh, dried, cooked and canned. They are high in glucose and protein, and also have various medicinal and chemical uses.

There are generally two types of fruit, those that are astringent until extremely ripe and those that are non-astringent.

Astringent types contain high levels of soluble tannins and cannot be eaten until custard-soft unless the astringency has been removed either artificially or by an after-ripening of light exposure to frost over a few days; this process is known as bleating. The edibility of astringent types is much improved when the fruit is dried.

Non-astringent types are less astringent when unripe and lose their astringency earlier. They can be eaten at various stages of firmness, from very hard to very soft.