They prefer full sun and fertile, moist, well drained soil. Persimmons have root spread that is often double the width of the crown. Soak the tree once a week if dry.
1 pound per tree of fertilizer per year can be given to a Persimmon for the first 4 years, more than 5 pounds after.
Young trees should be pruned to a single leader and feathered.
Persimmons hate to be transplanted however seedlings are very easy to grow if planted on their permanent site. The deep taproot makes transplanting difficult if the tree is over 2 feet, it may die or grow very poorly if the taproot is broken.
Propagation is from seed though cultivars can also be grown from root cuttings and grafting. Seeds should be soaked overnight in hot water to break dormancy. The seed can either be plants ripe or stratified for 3 months at 40 F.
Diospyros armata
A medium size tree native to central China that reaches a maximum size of 60 feet.
The evergreen leaves are up to 2.5 x 1 inches.
Hardy north to zone 7 tolerating as low as 0 F with no damage.
Diospyros blancoi ( Mabolo )
A large evergreen tropical tree reaching up to 100 feet with a trunk diameter of 4 feet. The leaves are up to 9 x 3.5 inches.
Diospyros cathayensis
An extremely rare tree native to south and western China. Moderate growing, up to 11 feet in 6 years.
Diospyros dignya ( Black Persimmon )
A very fast growing, handsome evergreen tree reaching around 60 feet that is native to Mexico and Central America. Some records include: largest on record - 90 x 70 feet with a trunk diameter of 8 feet.
The alternately arranged, smooth edged, pointed, oval, leathery leaves are up to 12 x 3 inches in size. They are bronze in spring turning smooth glossy deep green above, hairy and paler green beneath. The foliage turns orange and red in autumn. The large drooping leaves gives this tree an attractive tropical appearance during summer.
The small bell shaped flowers up to 0.5 inches in length are yellow and borne in late spring. The male flowers are borne in small clusters and the female flowers are borne singly.
The fruits are a large rounded, juicy edible berry up to 5 inches across. They are green with kelly-like brown flesh. The Black Persimmon can bear fruit in as little as 3 years.
Hardy zones 10 and warmer ( tolerating as low as 28 F ) the Black Persimmon is an excellent tree for south Florida. It is moderately drought tolerant but not salt tolerant.
Diospyros glaucifolia ( Silky Persimmon )
An extremely rare tree native to China. Hardy north to zone 6
Diospyros japonica
Reaches up to 100 feet with leaves up to 5 x 3 inches. More info coming soon.
Diospyros kaki ( Chinese Persimmon )
A medium size tree reaching around 35 feet that is native from India to the Orient.
Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 5 feet ( 6 feet for subsp Silvestris ); 20 years - 33 x 20 feet; largest on record - 90 x 40 feet with a trunk diameter of 5.3 feet. In DC it can be found on the Asian trail at U.S. National Arboretum and Hillwood Estate. Long-lived, it can live as long as 400 years.
The alternately arranged, smooth edged, pointed, oval leaves are up to 10 x 6 inches in size. They are bronze in spring turning smooth very glossy deep green above, hairy and paler green beneath. The foliage is late to appear in spring and turns orange and red in autumn. The large drooping leaves gives this tree an attractive tropical appearance during summer.
The small bell shaped flowers up to 0.5 inches in length are yellow and borne in late spring. The male flowers are borne in small clusters and the female flowers are borne singly.
The fruits are a large rounded, juicy edible berry up to 4 ( very rarely 5 ) inches across. They are green at first ripening to orange-red with the paper thin calyx remaining on the fruit. Up to 50 pounds of fruit or more can be borne on a tree in a year. The record single tree production is 250 pounds in a year. The highest yields possible per acre are around 10 000 pounds!!! The fruit sell for about $1 per pound ( wholesale ).
The scaly light gray to beige bark can either be peeling or furrowed.
The Chinese Persimmon is hardy from zones 5 to 10 however only seed source from the coldest parts of its native range should be used in zone 5, 6 and 7. Hot summers are required for good fruit production. It prefers full sun, average water and fertile, well drained soils. Drought and clay tolerant.
* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.
* photos taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.
* video found on Youtube
* due to the numbers of new cultivars on the market including dwarfs, this entry will soon be revised and updated. An excellent source of hardy Asian Persimmons for purchase is http://www.nuttrees.net/persimmon.html
Great Wall
Very sweet, small orange fruits. Hardy north to zone 6, reported to thrive in Pennsylvania.
Hachiya
Large tender pink-orange fruits that are sweet when ripe on a shapely tree.
Hokkaido
Dwarf and hardy north to zone 6. A very heavy producer of large fruits, up to 5 x 3.5 inches.
Izu
Low tannin fruit on a compact tree
Jiro
Large low tannin fruit
Korea Kaki
May actually be the hardiest "True Kaki". Having been grown in Bulgaria and originating on the China-Korean border known for its frigid winters, it is most likely hardy north to zone 5.
Northrop
Grows in the north where Chinese Persimmon generally does not. Hardy to zone 3 ( -40 F ). I have not been able to find any recent info on this cultivar including sellers. It may actually be a hybrid with the North American Persimmon ( Diospyros virginiana ) that is synonymus with Rosseyanka
Oriental
Sweet, seedless, orange fruits. Reaching around 15 feet. Hardy north to zone 7
Pendula
* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC
Rosseyanka
A hybrid between Diospyros kaki and D. virginiana that is hardy at least to zone 5.
The large fruits, up to 3 inches across, taste like Diospyros kaki and are nearly seedless. It originated at the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens in Yalta, Russia.
Saijo
Very sweet, small, oval, yellow-orange fruits, up to 3 inches. Hardy north to zone 6 ( -10 F ).
Original tree is over 600 years old.
Sheng
Very cold hardy, at least to zone 6. Sweet flavor and ripens early.
Sheno
large, sweet, seedless fruits. Dwarf in habit and hardy north to zone 6
Tamopan
Abundant fruit production
Tanenashi
Excellent autumn foliage color and heavy fruit productions.
Wrights Favorite
Profuse, very sweet fruit.
Diospyros lotus ( Date Plum )
A very rapid growing tree reaching up to 75 feet that is native to northern Iran and southwest Asia. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 7 feet; 20 years - 30 feet ( avg ); largest on record - 100 x 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 3 feet.
The pointed, oval, untoothed, wavy edged leaves are up to 7.5 x4 inches in size.
The very luxuriant attractive foliage is glossy, very deep green above and gray-green beneath. The foliage drops while still green late in autumn.
In mild climates it may be semi-evergreen.
The small bell shaped flowers up to 0.5 inches in length are deep pink and borne in mid summer on the undersides of the young shoots. The male flowers are borne in small clusters and the female flowers are borne singly.
The fruits are a large rounded edible berry up to 0.75 inches across. They are green at first ripening to purple though can also be yellow to red or black. The calyx remain on the ripened fruit. Up to 30 pounds of fruit or more can be borne on a tree in a year.
The gray bark is smooth at first later fissuring into square plates.
The Date Plum is hardy from zones 5 to 10 ( tolerating - 20 F ) however only seed source from the coldest parts of its native range should be used in zone 5 and 6. It prefers full sun, average water and fertile, well drained soils. This tree is very tolerant of hot humid summers and should be planted much more in the mid Atlantic U.S.
* photos taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.
Diospyros rhombifolia ( Diamond Leaf Persimmon )
A small deciduous tree native to Fujiang & Jiangsu Provinces of China, and Japan, reaching up to 13 feet in 15 years, eventually more.
The axilliary flowers are white.
They are followed by red fruits.
The shoots are light purple and the bark is gray.
Hardy north to zone 7
Diospyros sandwichensis ( Hawaiian Persimmon )
A small dense foliaged tree reaching around 35 feet that is native to Hawaii. Some records include: 5 years - 10 feet; largest on record - 50 x 40 feet.
The very attractive foliage is pinkish at first turning to green.
The striking bark is black.
Hardy only zones 10 and warmer.
Diospyros texana ( Texas Persimmon )
A moderate growing, medium size tree reaching around 35 feet that is native from central Texas to northern Mexico. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 2 feet; 5 years - 6 x 3 feet; largest on record - 82 x 25 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 feet.
It takes 5 years to produce a good saleable 5 gallon size plant from seed.
The rounded, leathery, obovate leaves are up to 2 x 1 inches in size. The foliage is dull dark green above and hairy beneath. Evergreen in mild climates.
The flowers are white and are followed by small sweet tasting fruits up to an inch across that ripen to black though sometimes light yellow to red.
The attractive bark is smooth and gray later becoming gray and peeling showing pink underneath.
Hardy zones 7 to 9 ( zone 6 on sites protected from wind ) in sun or shade. This tree is best used for landscaping in its native range where it exhibits superior drought tolerance, it is a poor choice for moist, humid areas. Deer do not browse this tree. It is very heat and extremely drought tolerant and disease free when used in the south central U.S.
Diospyros virginiana ( American Persimmon )
A large dense canopied, upright, broadly spreading tree reaching around 70 feet that is native to the eastern U.S. from southeast Nebraska to Ohio to New Jersey; south to eastern Texas and central Florida.
Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 5 feet; 1st year - 2 feet; 20 years - 33 x 20 feet; largest on record - 140 x 65 feet with a trunk diameter of 7 feet. Very large trees close to 130 feet in height grow at Big Oak Tree State Park in Mossioui, Tuckahoe @ Screven Co. Georgia and Congaree Swamp National Monument in South Carolina ( many record size trees of various species grow there in "the forest of giant trees" ). It does not exceed 65 feet in England where its growth is slowed due to summers too cool for its liking.
In Washington D.C. it can be found at the U.S. Capital and National Zoo and in Ontario, Canada it can be found planted at Willistead Park in Windsor and Byrnam Woods Arboretum in Stratford.
The alternately arranged, smooth to wavy edged, oblong leaves are up to 8 x 4 inches in size. They are smooth glossy green above and glaucous white ( unlike Black Tupelo ) beneath. The foliage usually turns orange, red and purple often with black spots in autumn.
The small bell shaped flowers up to 0.5 inches in length are yellow and borne in early spring. The male flowers are borne in small clusters and the female flowers are borne singly.
The fruits are a large rounded edible berry up to 3 inches across. They are green at first ripening to orange-red. The calyx remain on the ripened fruit.
Up to 30 pounds of fruit or more can be borne on a tree in a year.
The fruits are sweet after the first fall frost finally fully ripens them.
They sometimes persist into winter.
The stout, lightly zigzagged twigs are light brown and have broad deep red-brown buds.
The dark brown bark is very rough fissured and separating into smallish, square plates and looking somewhat alligator hide like in appearance.
The wood is used commercially.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 preferring sandy, fertile, deep, well drained soil. It is very heat tolerant and not normally prone to pests or disease other than Black Spot ( an anthracnose fungus ) that can completely defoliate a tree in August in the eastern U.S.
Persimmons should be planted while very small; they quickly develop a deep taproot and transplanting can be fatal. Once establish it is very easy to grow.
* photo taken on July 2008 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on May 1 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.
* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.
* photos taken on August 4 2010 @ Birnam Arboretum, Stratford, Ontario
* photo of unknown internet source
* photo taken on Aug 20 2011 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
* photos taken on June 14 2012 in Ellicott City, MD
* photos taken on Aug 25 2013 @ University of Maryland, College Park
* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
* photo taken by E.R. Jackson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
* video found on Youtube
Early Golden
Large sweet fruit and clean anthracnose resistant foliage. Meader is a good pollinator but it can also be self fertile.
Hardy north to zone 4.
John Rick
Fruits considered superior and more consistant than wild forms.
Bears fruit in 6 years.
Meader
Self fertile not needing a pollinater. The seedless, orange fruit is delicious and very sweet. Hardy zones 3 to 8 tolerating as low as -35 F
Pipher
Large fruit and anthracnose resistant foliage.
Diospyros wilsonii
An extremely rare moderate growing tree native to China. Known to reach up to 16 feet in 10 years, eventually 20 feet or more.
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