Persimmon (American and Asian)

Diospyros virginiana (American persimmon) and Diospyros kaki (Asian persimmon) · Ebony family (Ebenaceae)

At a glance
Hardiness zones	4 to 10
Sun	full sun
Water	moderate
Life cycle	perennial
Frost	Hardy: takes frost
Soil pH	6.0–6.5
Spacing	144 to 288 inches

About Persimmon (American and Asian)

American persimmon is a tough native tree with small, sweet fruit once fully soft. Asian persimmons have larger, higher-quality fruit on smaller trees but are much less cold-hardy.

American persimmon grows in zones 4-9 and survives -20 to -25 F; Asian persimmon grows in zones 7-10 and only survives to about 10 F (NC State; Clemson).

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Asian persimmon trees are usually 4-6 years old before they bear (NC State). Space Asian persimmons at least 15 feet apart (NC State); American persimmons grow into large trees and send up root suckers.

Soil

Adaptable and tolerant of many soils as long as they drain well; Asian persimmon does best around pH 6.0-6.5 (NC State).

Persimmons grow in many soils; a pH of about 6.0 to 6.5 in loamy, moist but well-drained soil is best.

Feeding

Young trees: early spring and again in mid-summer: balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10. About 2 ounces per year of tree age each time (Georgia), spread evenly under the tree; avoid fertilizer spikes.
Bearing trees: late winter, only if leaves are pale and growth is under 10-12 inches a year: balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 13-13-13. Feed lightly; a tree in a fertilized lawn often needs nothing more.

Too much nitrogen makes persimmons drop their fruit; they need less fertilizer than peaches.

Harvest

American persimmons are astringent while firm and sweet only when soft and ripe (NC State). Astringent Asian types must also be fully soft before eating, while non-astringent types can be eaten while still firm (Clemson).

Persimmons give one crop a year, late in fall, and the fruit can hang on the tree into winter after the leaves drop. Astringent types (and most American persimmons) must be fully soft before eating, while non-astringent types can be eaten firm; fruit keeps ripening after picking.

Varieties (19)

Variety	Type	Notes
C-100	American (native) persimmon	Grown for its red fall color.
John Rick	American (native) persimmon	Excellent flavor and firm fruit with 2-8 seeds. Productive.
Killen	American (native) persimmon	Good flavor; firm, medium-size fruit. Moderately productive.
Meader	American (native) persimmon	Deep orange, apricot-size fruit.
Miller	American (native) persimmon	Good flavor; large, firm fruit. Productive.
Morris Burton	American (native) persimmon	Considered one of the best native persimmons.
Prok	American (native) persimmon	NC State calls it the best-tasting American persimmon.
Woolbright	American (native) persimmon	Excellent flavor, but soft fruit that splits easily. Productive.
Peping	Asian persimmon	Georgia Extension says it can be grown in north Georgia when grafted on native rootstock and is hardy to about 0°F.
Eureka	Asian persimmon, astringent	Flat, red, good-quality fruit; must soften fully before eating. Heavy producer on a small tree.
Great Wall	Asian persimmon, astringent	Small, flat, orange-red fruit; must soften fully before eating. Vigorous tree.
Sheng	Asian persimmon, astringent	Large, flat, orange-red fruit; must soften fully before eating. Moderately vigorous tree.
Tamopan	Asian persimmon, astringent	Large, flat orange fruit with a pinched 'waist'; must soften fully before eating.
Tanenashi	Asian persimmon, astringent	Seedless, cone-shaped orange fruit; must soften fully before eating.
Fuyu	Asian persimmon, non-astringent	Medium, somewhat square red-orange fruit that can be eaten while firm. Great fall leaf color.
Hana Fuyu	Asian persimmon, non-astringent	Large, round, yellow-orange fruit of good quality. Moderately vigorous and productive.
Hana Gosho	Asian persimmon, non-astringent	Vigorous, upright tree with strong branching.
Ichikikei Jiro	Asian persimmon, non-astringent	Flattened, good-quality fruit that can be eaten firm. Productive.
Jiro	Asian persimmon, non-astringent	Non-astringent; can be eaten firm. Showy fall color, and fruit stays on the tree into winter.

Pests to watch for

Scale insects, Annual cicadas (dog-day cicadas), Bagworm, Granulate ambrosia beetle

Diseases and problems

Powdery mildew

In the kitchen

Eaten fresh when ripe, or used in baking.

Keeping it: Let firm persimmons ripen at room temperature. Eat soft-ripe fruit right away or refrigerate it in a bag for up to 3 days; unripe fruit keeps about a month in the fridge.

Pets: Not listed as toxic by the ASPCA

Sources

Photo: Photo: Peterwchen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo resized for the web.

Planting dates and advice are general guidance; check with your local Cooperative Extension office for your area.