The native tree: a concise orientation before we get practical.
The native tree: Quick notes
Growing American persimmon trees checks several horticultural and culinary boxes. American persimmon—Diospsyros virginiana and hybrids of this species—are very cold hardy fruit trees, with deliciously sweet fruit, and they can be grown in regions where larger fruited Asian persimmons will succumb to intensely cold winters. The native fruit differs from the East Asian D. kaki in that it is small—around ping-pong ball-sized. The deep orange little persimmons remain on the tree like glowing ornaments well into cold weather, dropping when very ripe or shaken loose by wind.
Above: Wild American persimmon fruit is about ping-pong ball-sized.
Stately American persimmon trees belong to the ebony family (Ebenaceae) and are native to the central and eastern United States. The blocky bark of mature trees distinguishes them quickly from others in the woodland, and in late fall their vivid fruit on bare branches makes them easy to spot.
The word persimmon is derived from putchamin, an Algonquin name for the native fruit.
Above: American persimmons will ripen off the tree, like their East Asian Hachiya persimmon cousins. 
Above: A baby native persimmon, still attached to its flower in early summer.
Cheat Sheet
- American persimmons are very cold hardy, down to -25°F.
- The fruit is sweetly and fragrantly ripe when very soft.
- Generally, wild persimmons taste better after a frost; but breeders have developed cultivars that ripen before frost.
- Wild persimmons contain a few flattened seeds, as do some cultivars.
- For a seedless American persimmon, try the ‘Ennis’ cultivar.
- Persimmons can be grown from seed but it may take up to nine years for them to fruit.
- Planting saplings gives you a head start on fruit production.
Above: Hoshigaki are peeled, air-dried persimmons; traditionally made from Asian fruit; if you try this with American persimmons, know that they dry more quickly.
Fascinating Fact and Caution
- Diospyrobezoar is a rare but serious gastric malady caused by the over-ingestion of the specific tannins in persimmon skin and in all unripe persimmons; it is a mass that can require surgery to remove. It’s all about dose: Eat only ripe persimmons, and in moderation.
Above: Persimmons begin to ripen in early fall.
(Some) Cultivars of American Persimmon
‘Prok’ is a seedless persimmon and has larger fruit.
‘C-100’ is known for having attractive red fall foliage.
‘Killen’ bears medium-sized fruit that ripens earlier.
‘Meader’ is a self-fruitful persimmon with apricot-sized fruit and leaves that turn a deep orange (versus yellow) in fall.
‘Morris Burton’ ripens early.
Above: Thanksgiving-ripe persimmons on bare branches.
Keep It Alive
- Cold-hardy species American persimmons can be grown from USDA growing zones 4 to 9 (plant Asian cultivars if you live in a higher zone).
- Some cultivars and grafted hybrids will be less cold tolerant, usually to zone 5 or 5b.
- Some cultivars are self-pollinating, others require a male tree nearby.
- Diospyros virginiana is a very tall tree (think 80 feet); but several varieties are bred to be smaller.
- American persimmon will grow in semi shade but produces more fruit in full sun.
(Visited 20,317 times, 26 visits today)
We reference The native tree briefly to keep the thread coherent.
A short mention of The native tree helps readers follow the flow.
