Asian Persimmon

Asian persimmon is one of the most rewarding low-maintenance tree crops you can plant in zones 7 through 10. The trees produce reliably without spraying, ripen ornamental orange fruit on bare branches in late fall, and live 30 to 50 years. Once established, they handle drought, mediocre soil, and benign neglect.

The distinction worth understanding before planting is astringent versus non-astringent. Non-astringent cultivars (Fuyu, Jiro) eat firm and crunchy like an apple. Astringent cultivars (Hachiya, Saijo) must be fully soft to eat or the tannins will pucker your mouth shut. Most beginners plant Fuyu and are happy. Saijo is for growers who want more cold-hardiness and don't mind waiting for soft fruit.

Asian persimmon tolerates most soils including clay, but prefers well-drained loam at pH 6.0 to 7.0. It is more forgiving of soil than apple or peach. Full sun is best; partial sun produces fewer fruit. Spacing 15 to 20 feet for standard trees.

The trees are slow to establish. Container-grown plants transplant better than bare-root because the taproot is brittle. Don't disturb the root ball when planting, and water consistently for the first two summers. After year three, they are essentially drought-tolerant.

Asian persimmon has remarkably few problems. The main issue for growers is graft compatibility. Asian persimmon scions are typically grafted onto American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) seedlings as rootstock, and 5 to 10 percent of grafts show delayed incompatibility 5 to 10 years after planting. The tree thrives, then suddenly declines and dies. Buy nursery stock from suppliers who graft carefully and accept some loss.

The second issue is fruit drop in cool wet springs, which reduces yield without harming the tree. Persimmon borer can attack trunks at the soil line; trunk wraps prevent this. Beyond that, persimmon rarely needs spraying or aggressive intervention.