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Diospyros kaki 'Jiro' is often confused with:
Diospyros kaki leaves
Native alternative(s) for Diospyros kaki 'Jiro':
Diospyros virginiana Form
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Diospyros kaki 'Fuyu' Diospyros kaki 'fuyu'
Diospyros kaki 'Hana Gosho' Diospyros kaki 'Hana Gosho'
Diospyros virginiana 'C-100' Diospyros virginiana 'C-100'

Diospyros kaki 'Jiro'

Common Name(s):

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

As with its parent plant, the 'Jiro' 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, they thrive in eastern North Carolina and the southern piedmont but do not tolerate temperatures below 10°F.  'Jiro' Persimmon is one of the most cold-hardy cultivars.  The tree is a vigorous producer of fruit that is sweet, mild, and non-astringent.

It sets fruit without pollination but planting two cultivars is recommended to ensure a better fruit-set. The trees grow best in loamy, well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 in full sun but thrive on a wide range of 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 stays on the tree after the leaves have fallen looking like Christmas ornaments, giving an attractive addition to a winter garden. Harvest the fruit when the skin becomes deep orange.  Fruit from this non-astringent variety can be eaten raw like an apple or sliced like a tomato and can be used in a variety of baked goods.  

The Oriental persimmon can be placed in a lawn 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#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#specimen#winter interest#fall interest#fruit tree#sweet fruit#disease resistant#yellow fruits#edible fruits#edible tree#orange fruits#fall color yellow#humidity tolerant#fall color red#fall color orange#food source winter#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#specimen#winter interest#fall interest#fruit tree#sweet fruit#disease resistant#yellow fruits#edible fruits#edible tree#orange fruits#fall color yellow#humidity tolerant#fall color red#fall color orange#food source winter#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Diospyros
    Species:
    kaki
    Family:
    Ebenaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Leaves are used to make teas
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Wildlife Value:
    Birds are attracted to the fruit.
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Heat, sun, humidity and drought tolerant
    Edibility:
    Produces non-astringent fruit that is sweet, soft and tangy. Can be eaten when firm, like an apple, or when riper when it can be cut like a tomato.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Edible
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    6-feet-12 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Long-lasting
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Winter
    Fruit Type:
    Berry
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    > 3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    Produces medium to large-sized, yellow to orange fruit. Round in shape, non-astringent and seedless with very good quality. It is very productive.
  • 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:
    Female flowers are slightly fragrant, borne singly with four whitish petals that are about half an inch long. Male flowers are pink-toned appearing in clusters of three. Sets fruit without the need for pollination.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    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, orange or red in fall.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    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:
    Lawn
    Naturalized Area
    Landscape Theme:
    Asian Garden
    Cottage Garden
    Edible Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Flowering Tree
    Mass Planting
    Screen/Privacy
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Foot Traffic
    Wet Soil
    Problems:
    Messy