Japanese persimmon / kaki

Photo: Sphl — CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Survives zone 7 through 9

Harvest calendar

Best planted in early spring after your last frost, or in fall before the ground freezes, depending on your climate.

Diospyros kaki is the classic Japanese/Chinese persimmon, grown for its large fruit (to about 7.5 cm across, sometimes 500 g); cultivars split clearly into astringent types such as 'Hachiya', which must soften completely before their tannins subside, and non-astringent types such as 'Fuyu', which lose astringency while still firm and can be eaten crisp.

Hardiness

Zone 7–9

Habit

Tree

Edible part

Fruit

Ripens

Oct–Nov

Mature size

Small tree 5–8 m; containerable

Light

Full sun

Soil pH

6.0–7.5

Environment

Subtropical

Native range

Native to China, where it has been cultivated for over 2,000 years; introduced to Japan by the 7th century, Korea by the 14th century, and later to California and southern Europe in the 19th century — the species is not known to occur in a truly wild state.

Status

Cultivated

Years to fruit

3–5 yrs

Growth speed

Medium — trees typically reach fruiting maturity in 3-5 years.

Spacing

500 cm (197 in) apart — about 25 m² (269 sq ft) per plant

Leaf shape

Broadly lanceolate leaves, medium to dark green, roughly as wide as long, stiff-textured and arranged alternately — deciduous, often coloring yellow-orange and dropping before fruit harvest.

Root system

A taproot similar to a carrot, growing straight down — plants resent root disturbance and should be set into their permanent position while young.

Fruit description

Spherical to oval fruit up to about 7.5 cm across (some cultivars to 500 g), with skin from yellow to red-orange; astringent cultivars like 'Hachiya' are harsh and puckery until the flesh turns soft and jelly-like, while non-astringent cultivars like 'Fuyu' lose their tannin while still firm and can be eaten crisp like an apple. Ripe flesh is very sweet (up to roughly 25% sugar) with a rich, honeyed flavor.

Propagation

By seed (sown fresh, or cold-stratified stored seed sown as early as possible, germinating in 1-6 months at 15°C), by semi-ripe cuttings taken in July/August, or — most commonly for named cultivars — grafted onto Diospyros kaki, Diospyros lotus, or Diospyros virginiana rootstock.

Pollination

Dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees, though many cultivars are parthenocarpic and set seedless fruit without a pollinator present; where seeded fruit is wanted, one male tree per 8-10 females is generally considered adequate.

The edible parts listed above are a starting point, not a field guide. Identify a plant with certainty — ideally against a local authority — before eating any part of it, and read the full disclaimer. Spotted something wrong? Report it.