Persimmon Trees
The genus name for persimmon literally means "Fruit of the Gods."
Like pawpaws, persimmons are free of insect and disease problems and require no spraying. Also, like pawpaws, you wont find them in supermarkets - they are too soft for shipping. You can find them at food co-ops, or grow them yourself.
Depending on the variety, grafted trees will fruit within 3 to 7 years. American persimmons are normally used as the rootstock. Some persimmon trees can grow to over 80' high, and live for 100+ years, so be sure to prune them to your desired height.
There are three kinds of persimmons: Asian, Asian x American, and American.
When unripe, American persimmons are awfully astringent, however once they ripen, the 1-2" fruit become among the sweetest tasting and most nutritious in the world. Most agree that American persimmons have a better, more complex flavor than Asian persimmons. Ripe persimmons are very soft and the skin wrinkled.
Persimmons exceed all other fruits of the temperate zone in food value. They contains 19 of the 20 amino acids and are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber. Persimmons contain health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants such as catechins and gallocatechin in addition to having an important anti-tumor compound, betulinic acid. Catechins found to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties. Some of other antioxidant compounds found abundantly in this fruit are vitamin-A, beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It, thus, helps prevent age-related macular degenerationin the elderly. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.It is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin, etc. These vitamins act as co-factors for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body. Wow! All that in a delicious American native fruit. Nature is awe inspiring.
Persimmons are not only delicious when ripe and fresh off the tree but can also be used in making puddings, cookies, cakes, fudge, custards, ice cream, sherbets, and preserves. Persimmons can be stored under refrigeration, just above freezing, for up to 3 months. The pulp can also be frozen for later use.
Harmless black specs appear in persimmon pulp. Some people are fussy about that. Claypool, Dollywood, Early Golden, I-115, John Rick, Killen, Prok, 100-42, 100-43, 100-45, and C-100 are varieties that contain few or no black specks.
Asian varieties are too tender for our area - they need zone 7 to thrive since they are only cold-hardy down to 10 F. Crosses of Asian and American are more cold-hardy and supposedly suitable for zone 5. American are the most hardy - some even suitable for zone 4 and cold-hardy down to -25 F.
We tried growing an Asian-American persimmon cross named 'Rosseyanka' whose hardiness zone is supposedly 5-8. We live in zone 6a, but this tree died back to ground level over our Winter. It grew back in the Spring, but then died above ground again the next Winter. This happened for several Winters until it died in earnest and the rootstock took over.
In hindsight, for zones 6 and colder, it is recommended to protect the persimmon fruit graft area for the first two winters. This is done by building up a mound of soil above the graft union each Fall, then removing the mound each Spring. We did not do this for the 'Rosseyanka' we planted. It is possible, that it could have survived, had we done this.
In 2020, we are planting the more cold-hardy American persimmons (Diospyrus virginiana) to see if these can be grown successfully. The varieties I selected are shown below.
American native persimmons have male and female trees and there are two types. The northern and western 90-chromosome type will set fruit without pollination, though it will be more productive with pollination. Whereas, the southeastern 60-chromosome type requires pollination, and will not fruit otherwise.
Furthermore, without pollination the 90-chromosome female trees will have seedless fruit, whereas, with pollination the fruits will have seeds. For eating purposes, seedless is preferred. Most of the named varieties are the 90-chromosome type. Note that the 60-chromosome type will likely not survive in Connecticut as it is too tender, i.e. our cold winters will kill it.
I have seen fruiting persimmon trees in Barre, Massachusetts, which is half-a-zone colder than we are, so in spite of our initial failure, I am hopeful for the 2020 plantings.
Persimmon flowers are reportedly loved and appreciated by bees.
Opossum also love persimmons, and can be attracted to stay on your property if persimmons are present. Opossum (pronounced a-poss'-um) are great guests. They are non-aggressive and unlike some other wild animals, are virtually immune to rabies and Lyme disease. Interestingly, they are also immune to venomous snakes.
One opossum can eat 5,000 ticks per season. This helps reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease. They help clean up your yard because they eat everything, including small rodents, slugs, beetles, snails, frogs, and various insects, yet they will leave your flowers and veggies undisturbed. Their memory for food sources scores higher than dogs and cats. While humans have only been on Earth less than one million years, possum have been around for 70 million years. They are survivors.
This does not mean they are trouble free, like other small wild animals, if infected their feces can transmit leptospirosis, salmonella, and/or tularemia.
By the way, opossum and possum are not in the same genus. Opossum live in America, have pointed snouts, and a hairless tail, whereas possum live in Australia, have a short snout, and hairy tails.
Persimmon wood is very hard and nearly black. Its ebony wood is highly desired where shockproof wood is needed as in golf club heads, billiard cues, flooring, and weaving looms.
Garden or lawn fertilizer provides too much nitrogen that could cause “fruit drop” -- a condition in which fruit falls before it ripens. The National Gardening Association recommends a late winter dressing of 5 to 10 pounds of well-digested compost to provide nutrients.
An informative article on persimmons can be found at Tyrant Farms.
Below is a map of the native range of American persimmons.
However, since our zone is 6a and American persimmons are zoned down to 4 or 5, depending on the variety, they should grow and hopefully ripen. Persimmons do successfully grow in Michigan and Massachusetts and these are both outside the native range, as well.
Persimmons are available from many nurseries. Here are a few I like:
Cricket Hill Garden has a small selection of Persimmons (Thomaston, CT) ideal for Connecticut.
Edible Landscaping has a small selection of healthy potted trees. We visited them in Virginia - nice people and a beautiful nursery.
England's Orchard has a large selection of Pawpaws and Persimmons (McKee, Kentucky) - quick to respond to emails or phone.
Nolin Nursery has a large selection of Pawpaws and Persimmons (Upton, Kentucky) - friendly and helpful on the phone.
Like pawpaws, persimmons are free of insect and disease problems and require no spraying. Also, like pawpaws, you wont find them in supermarkets - they are too soft for shipping. You can find them at food co-ops, or grow them yourself.
Depending on the variety, grafted trees will fruit within 3 to 7 years. American persimmons are normally used as the rootstock. Some persimmon trees can grow to over 80' high, and live for 100+ years, so be sure to prune them to your desired height.
There are three kinds of persimmons: Asian, Asian x American, and American.
When unripe, American persimmons are awfully astringent, however once they ripen, the 1-2" fruit become among the sweetest tasting and most nutritious in the world. Most agree that American persimmons have a better, more complex flavor than Asian persimmons. Ripe persimmons are very soft and the skin wrinkled.
Persimmons exceed all other fruits of the temperate zone in food value. They contains 19 of the 20 amino acids and are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber. Persimmons contain health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants such as catechins and gallocatechin in addition to having an important anti-tumor compound, betulinic acid. Catechins found to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties. Some of other antioxidant compounds found abundantly in this fruit are vitamin-A, beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It, thus, helps prevent age-related macular degenerationin the elderly. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.It is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin, etc. These vitamins act as co-factors for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body. Wow! All that in a delicious American native fruit. Nature is awe inspiring.
Persimmons are not only delicious when ripe and fresh off the tree but can also be used in making puddings, cookies, cakes, fudge, custards, ice cream, sherbets, and preserves. Persimmons can be stored under refrigeration, just above freezing, for up to 3 months. The pulp can also be frozen for later use.
Harmless black specs appear in persimmon pulp. Some people are fussy about that. Claypool, Dollywood, Early Golden, I-115, John Rick, Killen, Prok, 100-42, 100-43, 100-45, and C-100 are varieties that contain few or no black specks.
Asian varieties are too tender for our area - they need zone 7 to thrive since they are only cold-hardy down to 10 F. Crosses of Asian and American are more cold-hardy and supposedly suitable for zone 5. American are the most hardy - some even suitable for zone 4 and cold-hardy down to -25 F.
We tried growing an Asian-American persimmon cross named 'Rosseyanka' whose hardiness zone is supposedly 5-8. We live in zone 6a, but this tree died back to ground level over our Winter. It grew back in the Spring, but then died above ground again the next Winter. This happened for several Winters until it died in earnest and the rootstock took over.
In hindsight, for zones 6 and colder, it is recommended to protect the persimmon fruit graft area for the first two winters. This is done by building up a mound of soil above the graft union each Fall, then removing the mound each Spring. We did not do this for the 'Rosseyanka' we planted. It is possible, that it could have survived, had we done this.
In 2020, we are planting the more cold-hardy American persimmons (Diospyrus virginiana) to see if these can be grown successfully. The varieties I selected are shown below.
American native persimmons have male and female trees and there are two types. The northern and western 90-chromosome type will set fruit without pollination, though it will be more productive with pollination. Whereas, the southeastern 60-chromosome type requires pollination, and will not fruit otherwise.
Furthermore, without pollination the 90-chromosome female trees will have seedless fruit, whereas, with pollination the fruits will have seeds. For eating purposes, seedless is preferred. Most of the named varieties are the 90-chromosome type. Note that the 60-chromosome type will likely not survive in Connecticut as it is too tender, i.e. our cold winters will kill it.
I have seen fruiting persimmon trees in Barre, Massachusetts, which is half-a-zone colder than we are, so in spite of our initial failure, I am hopeful for the 2020 plantings.
Persimmon flowers are reportedly loved and appreciated by bees.
Opossum also love persimmons, and can be attracted to stay on your property if persimmons are present. Opossum (pronounced a-poss'-um) are great guests. They are non-aggressive and unlike some other wild animals, are virtually immune to rabies and Lyme disease. Interestingly, they are also immune to venomous snakes.
One opossum can eat 5,000 ticks per season. This helps reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease. They help clean up your yard because they eat everything, including small rodents, slugs, beetles, snails, frogs, and various insects, yet they will leave your flowers and veggies undisturbed. Their memory for food sources scores higher than dogs and cats. While humans have only been on Earth less than one million years, possum have been around for 70 million years. They are survivors.
This does not mean they are trouble free, like other small wild animals, if infected their feces can transmit leptospirosis, salmonella, and/or tularemia.
By the way, opossum and possum are not in the same genus. Opossum live in America, have pointed snouts, and a hairless tail, whereas possum live in Australia, have a short snout, and hairy tails.
Persimmon wood is very hard and nearly black. Its ebony wood is highly desired where shockproof wood is needed as in golf club heads, billiard cues, flooring, and weaving looms.
Garden or lawn fertilizer provides too much nitrogen that could cause “fruit drop” -- a condition in which fruit falls before it ripens. The National Gardening Association recommends a late winter dressing of 5 to 10 pounds of well-digested compost to provide nutrients.
An informative article on persimmons can be found at Tyrant Farms.
Below is a map of the native range of American persimmons.
However, since our zone is 6a and American persimmons are zoned down to 4 or 5, depending on the variety, they should grow and hopefully ripen. Persimmons do successfully grow in Michigan and Massachusetts and these are both outside the native range, as well.
Persimmons are available from many nurseries. Here are a few I like:
Cricket Hill Garden has a small selection of Persimmons (Thomaston, CT) ideal for Connecticut.
Edible Landscaping has a small selection of healthy potted trees. We visited them in Virginia - nice people and a beautiful nursery.
England's Orchard has a large selection of Pawpaws and Persimmons (McKee, Kentucky) - quick to respond to emails or phone.
Nolin Nursery has a large selection of Pawpaws and Persimmons (Upton, Kentucky) - friendly and helpful on the phone.
