Does a Eureka Persimmon Need a Pollinator?

Pollination

• Flowering and pollination regarding Oriental persimmon trees is complicated. Some cultivars produce only female or male flowers and must be planted near a tree of the opposite sex for fruits with seeds to form. Some cultivars will still produce fruits even if the flowers aren't pollinated. When fruits develop without seeds, the fruit flesh tends to be more astringent and takes much longer to ripen on the tree before finally fully sweetening. The Eureka persimmon tree is self-fruitful and will yield fruits readily if it is the lone tree in the garden.

Production

• Production of fruits on the Eureka persimmon becomes progressively heavier as the tree ages after initial planting. Eureka typically is a dwarf or semi-dwarf tree. It reliably bears fruit in the United States and is particularly well-suited in the climates of both Texas and Florida. The tree is remarkably frost- and drought-tolerant and able to still manage a bountiful fruit crop. Eureka persimmon fruits typically contain seeds, taste astringent until late in fall when they finally sweeten, anytime from late October into December.

Fruit Variation

• While most fruit that forms on a Eureka persimmon tree are seeded, the result of pollination, some fruits may still form from flowers that didn't receive any pollen. These non-seeded persimmons do not mature with as deep of reddish-orange skin color and the fruit's flesh isn't as sweet, even after fully ripening on the tree. If frosts occur early, such as in October, all fruits on a Eureka persimmon tree -- seeded or non-seeded -- may not fully ripen and develop as sweet and soft of a flesh than if the first frost doesn't occur until November or December.

Recommendations

• Contact your local cooperative extension office and ask a horticultural agent about growing Eureka persimmon. In some climates and soil types, the Eureka tree may benefit from a companion tree to promote better pollination. Typically, this cultivar has no problem producing fruits, but localized conditions such as soil pH, the time of year precipitation usually occurs and expected summertime temperatures may modify how well or consistently the tree bears harvestable fruits.