North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Joseph Richardson <joegrowswell@gmail.com>]

Last year around this time I saw what I was pretty sure were numerous
persimmons along interstate 24 in Southern Illinois.  Today I confirmed
that was what I was seeing.  I detoured off the interstate into the
national forest in the vicinity of Dutchman's lake (in this case the
persimmons were most numerous closest to the interstate)  and also stopped
off at Rend Lake and checked out the park that google maps calls Wayne
Fitzgerrell.  There are indeed persimmon trees all over the place.  I know
of no other place like it.  I probably ate 100 times more persimmons than I
have the rest of my life combined and barely scratched the surface.  This
would be a great area to look for improved trees in the wild.

Joe Richardson in NW Illinois