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Diospyros kaki 'Hana Gosho' is often confused with:
Diospyros kaki leaves
Native alternative(s) for Diospyros kaki 'Hana Gosho':
Diospyros virginiana Form
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Diospyros kaki leaves
Diospyros kaki 'Fuyu' Diospyros kaki 'fuyu'
Diospyros kaki 'Jiro' Diospyros kaki 'Jiro'

Diospyros kaki 'Hana Gosho'

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
dy-oh-SPY-ros KAH-ky
Description

As with its parent plant, the 'Hana Gosho' ("flower of the Imperial Palace") cultivar of the Oriental persimmon is beautiful, delicious and easy to grow, and offers year-round interest in the landscape. Oriental persimmons are native in Eastern Asia and India, and they thrive in eastern North Carolina and the southern piedmont. 'Hana Gosho' has vigorous upright growth and strong scaffold branching. It is late-ripening into late November and an early-bearing cultivar with consistent yields. 

In order to ensure better fruiting, planting two cultivars is recommended. The trees grow best in loamy, moist but well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 in full sun but thrive on a wide range of soils. Drought tolerant when established. Good tolerance of heat, sun and humidity but not wet clay soils.  Oriental persimmons generally bloom mid-April so avoid damage from late frosts.

With spectacular autumn foliage and fruit that extends the harvest late into the fall, they are an excellent addition to an edible landscape.   Fruit can stay on the tree after the leaves have fallen, giving an attractive addition to a winter garden. This variety is known for developing some of the deepest shades of red found in persimmon cultivars. Though the tree produces larger fruits than other persimmons, the tree itself is somewhat smaller than other Oriental persimmon trees, and prone to premature shedding of fruit.  Because of its size and growth habit, it is good for homeowner's landscapes as it is easier to train and maintain. Fruit from these non-astringent varieties can be sliced like a tomato and eaten raw or they can be used in a variety of baked goods.  

The Oriental persimmon can be placed in a lawn, meadow or naturalized area, an Asian, winter or edible garden.  It can be trained as an espalier or pruned as a hedge or screen away from foot traffic or wet soil.  They have no serious insect or disease problems and they do not require annual pruning like some other deciduous fruit trees. However, they do produce root suckers.  Remove promptly unless a naturalized effect is wanted.

Quick ID Hints:

  • Bark is deeply fissured or furrowed in shapes of rectangles or squares

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Scale, mealybug and leaf spot can occur. Fruit drop can be messy.

More information on Diospyros kaki.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#vigorous#full sun tolerant#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#winter interest#fall interest#fruit tree#disease resistant#pest resistant#edible landscaping#edible fruits#fruits fall#orange fruits#winter fruits
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#vigorous#full sun tolerant#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#winter interest#fall interest#fruit tree#disease resistant#pest resistant#edible landscaping#edible fruits#fruits fall#orange fruits#winter fruits
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Diospyros
    Species:
    kaki
    Family:
    Ebenaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Leaves are used to make teas
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Wildlife Value:
    Fruits attract birds
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and humidity tolerant. Disease and insect resistant.
    Edibility:
    Edible fruits
    Dimensions:
    Height: 12 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Edible
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Multi-stemmed
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    6-feet-12 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Berry
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    > 3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    Produces medium to large-sized orange to red fruit. It is usually flat or conic with a light-flesh. The fruit is non-astringent and sweet, ripens in the Fall, as late as November.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Cream/Tan
    Pink
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Insignificant
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Shape:
    Bell
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    It produces a small number of male flowers that have a pink tinge. The female flowers have a creamy yellow color and tend to grow singly. The flowers have four crown-shaped sepals and four petals. It blooms from May to June.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Obovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    The leaves are glossy green and 4-5 inches long which turn yellow to orange in fall.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Black
    Dark Brown
    Light Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Fissured
    Furrowed
    Bark Plate Shape:
    Rectangle
    Square
    Bark Description:
    Brownish gray bark
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Lenticels:
    Conspicuous
    Stem Description:
    Dark rich brown with large lenticels.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Landscape Theme:
    Asian Garden
    Edible Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Flowering Tree
    Hedge
    Screen/Privacy
    Attracts:
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Foot Traffic
    Wet Soil
    Problems:
    Messy