Time is ripe to harvest the Sanxia apple-persimmons

If you happen to take a trip to Yichang in the month of October, do not feel surprised when you come across an orchard full of trees bearing a persimmon-shaped fruit.

What you have most likely encountered are apple-persimmons, a hybrid fruit that combines the taste of both. It was developed by Professor Luo Zhengrong and his team at Huazhong Agricultural University in 2015. 

You’ll find the top-quality apple-persimmons to be in Sanxia near Yichang City, Hubei province.

The local apple-persimmon has reaped its biggest harvest this year, totaling 200 tons, a 40% rise from last year. This was mostly thanks to increasing the planting area and number of fruit-bearing trees.

Persimmons are considered a delicacy in Asia, where they are primarily grown and sold. Traditional persimmons are best consumed soft and ripe. The soft texture, however, poses a difficulty in the transportation process.

Therefore, Luo Zhengrong and his research team decided to develop a crispier version of a persimmon. The hard, crispy new species can easily be incorporated into recipes for cookies, bread, or salad. A simple and tasty dish to try is sliced apple-persimmons on a toasted baguette with cheese.