Raccoons and skunks can also disperse - and domestic dogs. Opossums seem to usually eat around the seeds.
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No problem with seed dispersal here at my placeā¦ coons seem to prefer to eat them and then poop them in the middle of our county roadā¦ every fall when walking our roadā¦ we have to dodge the poop piles filled with persimmon seeds.
But they and other critters (including deer no doubt) poop them out in my fields too.
I have 50-75 persimmon seedlings out in my fieldsā¦ going to graft to some of them this spring.
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I know you talk about eating ruminants alotā¦ this is from the link I posted.
āwhiteātailed deer are not effective seed dispersers of plants such as persimmons. As whiteātailed deer are ruminants that chew their cud and ferment their food for long periods of time, it is highly unlikely that the large seeds of persimmons survive gut passage. Furthermore, there are no records of deer scat with intact persimmon seeds, nor any seeds of that size, and our observations of hundreds of deer scats over the years at these field sites have never shown a single intact persimmon seedā
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@krismoriahā¦ yes now that i think about itā¦ i am sure that is right. Ruminants are super digesters of plant materialā¦ absolutely our best source of plant nutrients that our bodies can actually use (bioavailabity) ruminent meat.
I have bowhunted from climbing stand setup in a stand of persimmon treesā¦ and the deer flock to them when ripe and falling. They do love them for sureā¦ but doubt many if any seed survive their digestive system.
Coons and possums, skunks, fox, yotes possibly crowsā¦ more likely to be depositing all those in my fields
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Your descriptions of the awesome taste (both here and in āPersimmons 2022ā) of the fruit from your sisterās two trees has made me reconsider my plans to plant only Asian persimmons that are astringent. Iāve eaten D.V. fruit throughout Georgia for many decades, but have never noticed ones with flavor worth writing home about. I cannot say that I am already a true believer, but I am warming to your Church of the American Persimmon.
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@Audi_o_phile ā¦ wish I could give you a taste of one of these Tooie Persimmons.
My sisters name is Trudyā¦ but her grandkids call her Tooie. Think i will name them Tooie 
My son in law is a big persimmon fan tooā¦ and we eat these every evening for a month or so. He agrees with me on these having an extra rich caramel like flavorā¦ it is not something I initially notice but it lingers at the end as something you can savor.
My younger tree persimmons here at my place taste great tooā¦ but it is more of a clear normal american persimmon tasteā¦ without the extra richness at the end.
Could just be because my sisters trees are more matureā¦ or because they get all day sun (where mine do not)ā¦ or her soil could be quite different than mine. Her home was built in what used to be cow pasture 40 years ago and she is on the west side of our county where I am on the east.
On the sunny SW side of her tree the fruit get so much sun that they darken up in colorā¦ perhaps that is what gives them the extra flavor.
All this talk about them is sure making me wish i had more now.
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The fruit above was picked on the same dayā¦ just different sides of the tree. Those extra dark onesā¦ mmmm good.
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Hey, I like to drive, heading up to Southern Middle Tennessee for a road trip wouldnāt be out of the question once autumn rolls around!
Iāve already got 350+ D.V. seeds that Iāve collected from 4 trees that are cold stratifying, but it sounds like the parentage of your sisterās trees is par excellence.
Looking at my picture dates from this year of her persimmonsā¦ looks like i went to her house and picked fruit Sept 24ā¦ and again on Oct 14.
On Oct 14 i picked a big bowl full and we ate them for weeks.
First or second week of October should be ideal time for a visit.
I usually let them sit on the counter under a bowl for a few days and then pick out the ones that look most ripe and eat a few each evening until they are all gone.
The ones that have darkened up can be eaten right off the tree and no astringency.
Those 4 in the pic above with color variationsā¦ one extra darkā¦ below is what they looked like splitā¦
The dark ones are not spoiled at allā¦ they are extra good
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Thatās awesome! Iāve got a reminder to reach out to you at the end of September. Thank you.