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persimmon

 

Member profile details

 

IDENTIFICATION

Common Name
persimmon
Photo #1
Scientific Name
Diospyros virginiana L.; Diospyros kaki Thunb.; Diospyros texana Scheele
Family
Ebenaceae
Spanish Name
caqui
Species Description
Asian persimmons are deciduous trees with upright tendency. Trees have three types of flowering expression: female flowers, female and male flowers, and perfect flowers. Fruit ranges in color from light yellow-orange to dark red-orange. Shape spherical, flattened or conical with glossy, smooth skin. Fruit may contain up to eight seeds. Fruit light yellow-orange to dark red-orange. Inside, the flesh is yellow, orange, or dark-brown, juicy and gelatinous, and either seedless or containing up to 8 flattened brown seeds. Flesh is bitter and astringent until fully ripe and almost rotten, then becomes soft and sweet. Some dark-fleshed types are sweet, crisp, and non-astringent before fully ripe. American persimmons are generally low and shrub-like. Tree form is usually rounded with pendulous branches. Leaves are alternate, simple and glossy green. White, dioecious flowers appear in June. Rounded, plum-sized, fleshy fruits are harshly astringent until fully mature, usually after frost, October to November. Texas persimmons are small trees or shrubs that may reach ten feet in height. Leaves rounded, glossy on the upper surface and covered with fine hairs underneath; deciduous in the northern part of the range and evergreen farther south in subtropical regions. The white, five-petaled, urn-shaped flowers of this species are dioecious. Fruit are fleshy, round berries, up to one inch in diameter, black and sweet when fully ripe.
 

NATURAL / CULTURAL HISTORY

AZ Native or Introduced
Introduced to Arizona
Natural Range
Asian persimmons are native to Japan, China, Burma and the mountainous regions of northern India. American persimmons are native to the eastern and southern U.S. Texas persimmons native to southern Texas and northern Mexico.
Natural Habitat
Asian persimmons grow in mild temperate to tropical climates across many countries in cultivated, wild, and naturalized habitats. In China, they grow wild at altitudes up to 6,000-8,000 feet. American persimmons grow naturally in dry woods, old fields and clearings. Texas persimmons are found on brushy uplands and rocky hillsides.
Cultural-Historic Notes
Most of the Diospyros species are native to tropical regions in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Some are valued for their fruit, some for their wood. Three temperate species are referred to as Asian, American, and Texas persimmons. Asian persimmons have a long history of use as a fruit crop across eastern Asia. American and Texas persimmons were important culturally for Native Americans.
 

GROWTH FORM & RATE

Growth Form
  • Tree
Tree or Understory
Tree
Other Growth Characteristics
  • Seasonally Deciduous
Growth Rate
Slow-moderate
Canopy Diameter
15-25 feet
Tree Height
40-50 feet
Lifespan
50-75 years
Years to Bearing, if nursery tree is 1-2 years old; grafted
3-4 years
Chill Hours
100-400 hours
Freeze Tolerance
Asian persimmons hardy to 10 degrees F; American persimmons hardy to -20 degrees F; Texas persimmons are hardy to 0 degrees F. Hardiness depends on species, variety and rootstock. Persimmons bloom late, usually escaping spring frosts.
Site, Micro-Climate, and Growing Considerations
Persimmons can tolerate some shade, though Asian varieties need a sunny location to ripen the fruit.
Elevation Range
Sea level to 8000 feet.
Appropriate Arizona Elevation Categories
  • HIGH MOUNTAIN: Flagstaff - USDA Zone 6b (-5ºF-0ºF)
  • HIGH PLATEAU, MOUNTAIN: Prescott, Tuba City, Winslow, Page - USDA Zones 7a-7b (0ºF-10ºF)
  • HIGH DESERT: Sierra Vista, Kingman, Globe, Wilcox - USDA Zones 8a-8b (10-20ºF)
  • MID DESERT: Tucson, Ajo, Safford, Casa Grande - USDA Zones 9a-9b (20-30ºF)
  • LOW DESERT: Phoenix, Lake Havasu City, Yuma - USDA Zones 9b-10a (25-35ºF)
USDA Interactive Plant Zone Map for Arizona
 

WATER

Relative Plant Water Use
  • Low: 10-20 inches / year
  • Medium: 20-35 inches / year
Post-Establishment Irrigation Needs
  • 2 X Month in Growing Season
Notes on Species-Specific Water Needs
Texas persimmons are highly drought tolerant; Asian and American persimmons have moderate water requirements.
 

CARE

Pollination
Asian persimmons can produce seedless fruit without pollination, though usually need more than one cultivar for effective, reliable fruit set. American persimmons need pollination except "Meader," which is self-fertile. Fruit are pollinated by wind and insects; bees are important for fruit set. May be artificially pollinated.
Soils
Persimmons are adapted to a wide variety of soil types. They are tolerant of wet soils and also do well on light sandy soils.
Propagation
Grafted or budded onto seedling rootstock. Asian persimmons may be propagated by root suckers. All species of persimmons can be propagated by seed, which should be sown as soon as the fruit ripens. Stored seed should be cold stratified and sown early in spring. Cuttings of half-ripe wood of American persimmons can be rooted in July and August, and branches can be rooted through layering in spring.
Pest & Disease Control
Persimmon trees are relatively disease free. Can be affected by anthracnose, black spot, leaf spot and powdery mildew. Pests include persimmon fruit moth, Japanese mealy bug, and fruit-piercing stink bugs.
Pruning Notes
Persimmons are typically pruned to a central or modified central leader. Young trees pruned back to three feet tall at planting, and later, new shoots are thinned to form a well-shaped tree. Some cultivars develop a willowy habit and require pruning to avoid weak branches.
 

HARVEST & PROCESSING

Edible Parts
Fruit from astringent varieties should be picked when fully ripe and allowed to soften and become mushy inside before eaten. The fruit can be harvested after frost and “bletted,” a process where the fruit is kept in a cool place and eaten after it becomes soft, almost rotten. American and some Asian cultivars are astringent until soft and ripe. Several traditional curing methods; in China, fruits are left outside in cold fall temperature and covered with bamboo mats until soft. In Japan, the fruits may be stored for one to two weeks in kegs that previously contained sake. A method discovered in California involves piercing fresh fruits at the apex with a needle dipped in alcohol, then layering the fruits with straw in a tightly closed box for 10 days. Fruits may also be kept at room temperature in a closed vessel or plastic bag for 2-4 days with bananas, pears, tomatoes, apples, or other fruits that produce ethylene gas. Non-astringent cultivars are eaten while the fruit is ripe but firm. Fruits may be eaten raw, cooked, or dried and used in breads, cakes, pies, and pudding. Japanese persimmons are usually eaten fresh when fully ripe or chilled, cut in half, and served with a spoon. Fruits may also be dried—persimmons are picked when mature but firm, peeled and hung up by their stems for 1-2 months to dry in the sun. Fruits are kneaded once or twice a week to give uniform texture and improve flavor. Then they are piled under mats to “sweat” for ten days. Sugar crystals form on the surface. Lastly, they are hung up again to dry in the wind.
Harvest Months
  • September
  • October
  • November
Harvest and Processing Guide

Copyright November 2022

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