Diospyros kaki. A deciduous fruit tree native to East Asia growing to about ten meters in height with wide spread. The dense, hard wood is suitable for furniture, but too brittle for architectural structures. The dark-colored heartwood that can form in the core section of persimmon trees is referred to as “black persimmon” (kurogaki). The irregular black streaks in the heartwood were highly prized in the Nara period for their ornamental qualities and used in marquetry. The effect was even simulated by painting other woods with mottled patterns, termed “imitation black persimmon.”