Diospyros kaki 'Hana Gosho'

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.