Ebony (Diospyros ebenum)

Family: Ebenaceae | Edibility: Edible (1/5)

Found in India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, Diospyros ebenum or Ebony is an evergreen, slow-growing tree with a dense crown. It grows about 30 m in height with its straight, buttressed trunk reaching about 90cm in diameter. It is a known timber tree and highly valued for its black wood used for furniture making. The wood is very heavy, very durable, and resistant to fungi and insect attack.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Fruit - raw. Gummy and astringent. The edible fruits are eaten only in times of famine. — Gummy and astringent.; The edible fruits are eaten only in times of famine.

Habitat & North American Range

Humid, coastal and lowland forests. An understorey tree of dry evergreen forests. (Zone 10)