Saunaplant #3: Fuyu Persimmon

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki): The Asian persimmon was born in China ~10,000 years ago. Its cross-section reveals an eight-pointed star, a universal sign of divine intervention. In Japan, where it is the national fruit, it appears in traditional haiku poetry as an autumn kigo [symbolism for a season] and embodies longevity and the wisdom of waiting. In Korea, a few persimmons are always left on the tree after harvest, called ggachi bap, or "magpie food" - a small act of generosity woven into the ritual of picking. Impatient eaters beware: bitter before it's ready. Extraordinary when it is. The Persimmon hat awaits.