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Asian Persimmon Trees

The Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is a native fruit of China and is also commonly known as Oriental persimmon or Japanese persimmon. The fruit has been cultivated in its native habitat for the past several centuries and comes in more than 2,000 different varieties. Prior to the introduction of the Asian persimmon in the United States in 1856, the most used variety in the country was an American persimmon. Asian persimmon trees have specific growth habits and requirements.

  1. Size and Foliage

    • The tree has a mature height of up to 25 feet with an equal spread and is either single or multi-trunked. The deciduous foliage has weeping growth habits and the brittle branches are prone to damage by high winds. The alternate, ovate foliage is up to 7 inches long and 4 inches wide. Younger leaves are light yellowish-green in color and gradually turn a dark, glossy green with maturity. Leaves assume bright shades of red, orange and yellow in fall.

    Flowers

    • Persimmon trees are either all male or female or may contain both flowers on the same tree. The flowers bloom from leaf axils during March with the pink male flowers in clusters of threes and the cream-colored female flowers singly. The flowers on the same tree may vary in sexuality from year to year. Certain varieties do not require pollination for fruit production. The majority of persimmons, however, require pollination for healthy fruit set.

    Fruit

    • Asian persimmons come in both the astringent and non-astringent varieties as opposed to the American persimmons that are entirely astringent. Fruit astringency is the result of tannins that coagulate when the fruit ripens. The shape of fruit differs between varieties, ranging from spherical to round, flat or squarish. Fruit color occurs in various shades of yellowish-orange to dark reddish-orange with weight ranging from a few ounces to more than a pound. All fruit parts are edible except the calyx and seed.

    Growth Requirements

    • The Asian persimmons are hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10 and grow best in well-drained loam with a preferred pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Avoid planting in alkaline soil and select a site in an area of full sun and proper air ventilation. The trees require regular irrigation for better quality fruit. Drought is indicated by leaf and fruit drop. Prune younger trees regularly to develop a sturdy form and fertilize with a 10-10-10 fertilizer annually at the rate of a pound for every inch of trunk diameter. Recommended times for fertilizing are later winter or very early spring.

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