With the holidays upon us, there’s probably no other tree that typifies the season more than the persimmon. Bright orange fruits peek out between the leafy branches now, but soon, they’ll hang alone like Christmas ornaments.
Persimmons are among the best fruit trees for ornamental use. Their handsome branches spread 30 feet wide, and they can grow almost as tall, making them a beautiful shade tree in the garden. Striking, dark green leaves turn stunning shades of yellow, orange or red in fall, even in the mildest of climates. After the leaves drop, especially after we’ve had frost, the fruit colors brilliant orange-scarlet and brightens the tree for several months, unless it’s harvested.
Persimmons are easy to grow, too. They are one of the few fruit trees that are deer-resistant (the foliage, anyway).
They accept almost any soil, acidic or alkaline, as long as it is well-drained. They reach fruit-bearing age at 5 years old, and you can expect your tree to live 50 to 75 years. That’s a lot of persimmons for eating fresh or for baking into cookies, bread and pudding. Or you can try your hand at persimmon wine or beer, as the early settlers did, or dry the fruit. They are loaded with vitamins A and C.
Fruit drop is one of the only problems you may encounter when your tree is young. Persimmons have a natural tendency to drop their fruit prematurely. Large quantities may drop if the tree is under stress from over- or under-watering or is given too much nitrogen fertilizer.
How much water and food does a persimmon need?
Apply enough water to wet the soil 3 to 4 feet deep when the soil 6 inches below the surface is just barely moist. Fertilize once in late winter with organic fruit tree food. Persimmons do not respond to or need fertilizers other than nitrogen. They are not troubled by excesses or deficiencies of other elements. Persimmons are remarkably free from disease and pests.
The most common types of persimmons grown are the Japanese varieties, hachiya and fuyu. Hachiya is the most popular, and is commonly available in markets. The fruit is astringent until soft, when it becomes very sweet and pudding-like. They may be picked when firm-ripe to protect them from the birds and allowed to ripen off the tree. They keep a month or more in the refrigerator.
The smaller fuyu persimmon is a non-astringent variety. These are picked hard and have a mildly sweet flavor. When they soften off the tree, they become sweeter and can be kept for several months in the refrigerator. You can also freeze whole persimmons or pulp.
Be sure to harvest either type using pruning shears. Cut half an inch to an inch above the fruit so the greenish crown remains intact. Don’t try to remove the fruit without also taking the calyx cap and a short bit of fruit stem, or they can rot.
Whether you plant your own tree or buy the fruit at the market, take advantage of persimmon season and the beauty they bring. Persimmons are among the best fruit trees to grow for the gardener who has little time to spare.
• Jan Nelson, a California certified nursery professional at Plant Works in Ben Lomond, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. E-mail her at [email protected].
