American persimmon

Overview

American persimmon is the northernmost member of the ebony genus, Diospyros, and is sometimes called "white ebony". Almost the whole log is a very wide pale sapwood, with only a thin black heartwood core. It is extremely hard and dense for a temperate wood, with excellent shock and wear resistance, and has been used for golf club heads and turned goods. It is rare as lumber and expensive.

Pros

• Extremely hard (2,300 lbf) and dense (about 835 kg/m3), with excellent shock and wear resistance, per Wood Database.
• Straight grain and a uniform medium-coarse texture; the wood retains a smooth surface in use.
• Turns and finishes well and responds well to hand tools.
• The thin black heartwood is similar to ebony, giving dramatic contrast against the pale sapwood.

Cons

• Very high shrinkage (7.9% radial, 11.2% tangential), so it may move significantly in service.
• Difficult to plane and blunts cutting edges faster than expected (Wood Database).
• Almost all of it is sapwood, which Wood Database rates as perishable and susceptible to insect attack.
• Not commonly available as lumber; usually seen as blocks and turning blanks, and priced high.
• Reported to cause skin irritation.

Variants and subspecies

• American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is the species here. Dealers list it in 8/4 and thicker, and as turning blanks.
• Black heartwood is the rare, thin core; the pale sapwood is the normal product.
• Other Diospyros species include the true ebonies, such as Gaboon, Macassar and Ceylon ebony, which are separate, denser and darker woods.
• For other very hard native woods see Osage orange and Hickory.

Working and finishing

Persimmon generally responds well to hand tools, though planing is difficult and edges dull quickly, so keep tools sharp and take light cuts. Pre-drill hard stock. It turns and finishes well. Expect considerable movement when drying and in service, so dry thoroughly and use stable blanks.

Staining and finishing colour

Wood Database says it finishes well. The sapwood is white to pale yellowish brown and tends to darken with age. A clear finish shows the contrast with the black heartwood in pieces that have it; stain is rarely needed.

Sustainability and handling

Wood Database states persimmon is not in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List. Wikipedia carries a NatureServe global rank of G5 (secure) and no IUCN rating (checked 2026-09-30). Wood Database reports persimmon has been reported to cause skin irritation. The US National Cancer Institute reports strong and consistent associations between wood-dust exposure and nasal and sinus cancers, so extract dust and wear a respirator. US-grown timber falls under the Lacey Act.

Popular projects

Wood Database lists turned objects, golf club heads, veneer and other small specialty wood items. A dealer adds drumsticks, striking-tool handles, shuttles and bobbins.

Buying notes

Look to specialty turning dealers rather than lumber yards. We found one board-foot price, $10.00 from Rebel Ventures with no date, and an $18 turning blank at Oakbrook; one dealer's 8/4 stock was sold out. Prices swing with size and supply, so quote before planning a project.