DESCRIPTION: NAME: Japanese Persimmon Tree OTHER COMMON NAMES: Asian Persimmon / Kaki Persimmon / Kaki Tree SCIENTIFIC NAME: Diospyros Kaki COLOR: White Flowers / Orange - Red Fruit PLANT SEEDS: Fall sow seeds or cold stratify BLOOM TIME: July - Aug HARVEST: Nov HARDINESS ZONE: 7 ...DESCRIPTION: NAME: Japanese Persimmon Tree OTHER COMMON NAMES: Asian Persimmon / Kaki Persimmon / Kaki Tree SCIENTIFIC NAME: Diospyros Kaki COLOR: White Flowers / Orange - Red Fruit PLANT SEEDS: Fall sow seeds or cold stratify BLOOM TIME: July - Aug HARVEST: Nov HARDINESS ZONE: 7 - 11 PLANT HEIGHT: 20 - 30' PLANT SPACING: 20 - 30' LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average QUANTITY: 5 Seeds OTHER: The Japanese Persimmon Tree is native to East Asia that is now grown worldwide by home gardeners & commercially, largely for its delicious edible fruit. They are roughly the same size & shape as an apple, with a diameter of 3”. They have very few seeds, & can be eaten fresh like an apple (with or without the skin) or dried, used in pies, desserts, breads, jams, or smoothies.
The fruit contains 25% sugar, & are very sweet & juicy. Japanese Persimmons can be eaten from very firm to very soft. At their softest, the pulp is almost a jelly that can be eaten right out of the skin with a spoon.
They have the best taste when they are fully ripe. Persimmons are also great shade trees, & provide habitat for wildlife. The trees do typically grow to 30' as listed above, but can reach heights of 60’.
Trees can grow in part shade, & also tolerate sandy or heavy clay soil. They are very pretty trees with creamy yellow female flowers & pink tinted male flowers. The plants are dioecious, so you will need both a male & female plant to set fruit.
The timber has beautiful grain patterns & is used to make high end furniture. The Persimmon’s glossy leaves turn orange, scarlet, & red in the fall, falling off before the fruit leaving an ornamental winter display.