Asian Persimmon Diospyros kaki
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- dy-OS-pe-ros KAH-kee
- Description
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Beautiful, delicious and easy to grow, large-fruited Oriental persimmons offer year-round interest in the landscape. They thrive in eastern North Carolina and the southern piedmont but do not tolerate temperatures below 10°F. Recommended varieties include Fuyu, Jiro, and Hanagosho. Planting more than one variety is recommended but not required for fruit set. The trees grow best in loamy, well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 but thrive on a wide range of soils. Persimmons generally bloom mid-April so avoid damage from late frosts. They have no serious insect or disease problems and they do not require annual pruning like some other deciduous fruit trees. With spectacular autumn foliage and fruit that extends the harvest late into the fall, they are an excellent addition to an edible landscape. Fruit from these nonastringent varieties can be sliced like a tomato and eaten raw or they can be used in a variety of baked goods.
Problems: Scale, mealybug and leaf spot can occur. Fruit drop can be messy.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Fuyu', 'Hanna Gosho', 'Jiro'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Fuyu', 'Hanna Gosho', 'Jiro'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Diospyros
- Species:
- kaki
- Family:
- Ebenaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- India, Asia
- Edibility:
- Fruits can be eaten raw or made into various dishes. Leaves can be used to make teas.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 3-4 inch orange fruit is globular/ oval. When cut in the middle, it has 8 lighter colored lines inside. May persist into winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Female flowers appear solitary and are creamy-white. Male flowers are in clusters of 3 and are pinkish.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Oval leaves are up to 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. New leaves are yellow-green and turn glossy green in summer. The fall color is yellow-orange to red.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- Brownish gray bark
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Not Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Gray stems with or without hairs
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Problems:
- Messy
