Texas Persimmon Planting & Growing Requirements

When to Plant

• Texas persimmons should be planted in fall or early winter, depending on the climate. It is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. In USDA zones 7 and 8, the tree is deciduous and should be planted in the fall right after other deciduous trees in the area drop their leaves. In USDA zone 9, it is evergreen and should be planted in early winter during the dormant season.

Where to Plant

• Texas persimmons require full sun but will grow in any type of soil as long as excess water drains away from the tree fairly quickly. They develop a 15- to 25-foot wide canopy and should be planted 15 to 18 feet away from buildings and other nearby trees. These trees are dioecious, which means a male and female tree are required for persimmon fruit production. The fruit from these persimmons is not like the persimmons purchased in the store, though. They are small round fruits, usually only 1 inch, that ripen to black and contain an abundance of seeds. They are edible but most people leave them for the birds, deer, raccoons and opossums.

How to Plant

• The planting hole must be just deep enough to hold the tree at the same depth it was growing previously and two to five times as wide as it is deep. Break up the soil removed from the hole until it has a fine texture and throw out hard dirt clods. Soil removed from the hole is used to fill in around the roots of the tree. The fill soil should be settled around the roots with a generous application of water after the hole is filled rather than tamping it down. Use sharp pruners to trim the branches of bare-root trees back by half right after planting. The rootball or root mass needs to be kept moist for three months after planting. Check the roots for dryness each morning and water the tree right above the root system when it begins to dry.

Water and Fertilizer

• Texas persimmons should be watered once or twice per week for the first year after planting, depending on the soil and climate. The soil around the root system about 4 to 6 inches below the surface should be kept moist. Watering frequency will depend on how quickly the soil dries. Organic mulch can be spread over the root zone to a depth of 3 inches to help retain moisture but keep it a few inches away from the trunk. After the first year, they should not need supplemental water except during long periods of drought. A balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer can be sprinkled on the soil below the branches in the spring beginning the second year after planting. Spread ½ to 1 cup over the soil and water it in. Do not use more than 1 tablespoon of fertilizer per foot of tree height.

Pruning

• Pruning can be done in late fall or winter while the tree is dormant. Broken, injured, weak or crossing branches should be removed at their bases. The trees can be grown with a single trunk by pruning off smaller stems at the base and maintaining only one main central leader or trunk. For a more pyramidal shape, limbs are removed from the trunk below 3 feet and three, four or five limbs are kept spaced 1 foot apart up the remainder of the trunk.