Common Persimmon

In addition to the pawpaw, another native tree with edible fruit at Mallows Bay is the common persimmon. The fruit is yellow to orange in color and ripens in the fall. Many animals eat this fruit, including deer, raccoons, and different kinds of birds. Persimmon trees are also home to moth caterpillars like the luna moth. Although they have been seen at Mallows Bay, luna moths are rarely seen as they have a short adult life, lasting only one week.