Diospyros Species, American Persimmon, Date Plum, Eastern Persimmon, Wild Persimmon
Diospyros virginiana
Family: | Ebenaceae (eb-en-NAY-see-ee) (Info) |
Genus: | Diospyros (dy-oh-SPY-ros) (Info) |
Species: | virginiana (vir-jin-ee-AN-uh) (Info) |
Category:
Trees
Water Requirements:
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Foliage:
Deciduous
Foliage Color:
Height:
30-40 ft. (9-12 m)
over 40 ft. (12 m)
Spacing:
30-40 ft. (9-12 m)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
Where to Grow:
Grow outdoors year-round in hardiness zone
Danger:
N/A
Bloom Color:
Red-Orange
Gold (yellow-orange)
Bright Yellow
Bloom Characteristics:
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; stratify if sowing indoors
Seed Collecting:
Unblemished fruit must be significantly overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Atmore, Alabama
Gaylesville, Alabama
Jones, Alabama
Morrilton, Arkansas
Baldwin Park, California
Irwindale, California
Oak View, California
Thousand Oaks, California
Bartow, Florida
Bradley, Florida
Hampton, Florida
Hawthorne, Florida
Keystone Heights, Florida
Lecanto, Florida
Monticello, Florida
Port Saint Lucie, Florida
Barnesville, Georgia
Brunswick, Georgia
Winterville, Georgia
Lisle, Illinois
Tunnel Hill, Illinois
Indianapolis, Indiana
Macy, Indiana
Valparaiso, Indiana
Olathe, Kansas
Shawnee Mission, Kansas(2 reports)
Benton, Kentucky
Greenwell Springs, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
Garland, Maine
Linthicum Heights, Maryland
Millersville, Maryland
Valley Lee, Maryland
Roslindale, Massachusetts
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Florence, Mississippi
Perkinston, Mississippi
Saucier, Mississippi
Cole Camp, Missouri
Piedmont, Missouri
Rolla, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Lincoln, Nebraska
Frenchtown, New Jersey
Cary, North Carolina
Clayton, North Carolina
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Smithfield, North Carolina
Star, North Carolina
Wilsons Mills, North Carolina
Hulbert, Oklahoma
Jay, Oklahoma
Pocola, Oklahoma
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
Florence, South Carolina
Summerville, South Carolina
Sumter, South Carolina
Mc Minnville, Tennessee
Morrison, Tennessee
Viola, Tennessee
Arlington, Texas
Brownwood, Texas
Buffalo, Texas
De Leon, Texas
Hutchins, Texas
Magnolia, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Blacksburg, Virginia
Fort Valley, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Shacklefords, Virginia
South Boston, Virginia
Rosedale, West Virginia
Cambridge, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
show allGardeners' Notes:
Rating | Content |
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Positive | On Sep 25, 2019, RandyAllen from White House, TN wrote: I planted my first one in 1969, in Nashville TN. It was two inches tall and I thought I was planting a Nyssa sylvatica. Tree progeny are hard to identify sometimes. Smile. By 1993 it was mature. Now I have purchased more land and am owner and orchestrator of White House Arboretum in TN. I have a few here also. I posted a picture of my male, which is 42 feet tall, 10 inches dbh, and only 13 years old in 2019. WOW, they can grow fast, or slow, depending on site factors. I never watered or pampered it, because it is way outback in weeds, like Jewel Weed, Joe Pye Weed, etc. |
Positive | On Sep 5, 2016, Tony_Chien from Baldwin Park, CA wrote: I had planted Hachiya persimmon seedling, the first flower bloomed after 5 years, now this tree is the seventh years old tree and bearing 12 fruits for me this year. |
Negative | On Jun 16, 2016, vossner from East Texas, Terrible to have in pastures in E TX. We treat with 24D Amin and have been successful but it is a CONSTANT battle. |
Positive | On Jan 9, 2015, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote: This tree is ornamental, adaptable about soil, and rarely troubled by pests or diseases. |
Positive | On Dec 12, 2013, Rickwebb from Downingtown, PA wrote: There is a small wild grove of American Persimmon near a clean downhill run of water on an elementary school's grounds in Downingtown, PA. In October I pass by and pick up fallen fruit from the ground, mostly lawn, take them home and eat them, they are so good. I love its bold outline and heavy dark scaly bark in winter. |
Neutral | On Dec 4, 2013, Creatrixsblood from Emerson, IA wrote: These grow wild in the pasture at my parent's house. They produce new saplings prolifically. They seem to enjoy being mowed. Where there used to be a small cluster of trees, there is now a rather sizable grove of small trees. |
Positive | On Aug 5, 2012, eatmyplants from Comanche county, TX (Zone 8a) wrote: This tree can be seen in my area in small groves but is not really widespread. Since I figured out what it was a few years ago, I've never seen it bloom or make any fruit. Right now, the younger trees are very distressed from the extreme heat and lack of rainfall but they seem to always pull through. |
Positive | On Dec 29, 2009, mississippitrees from Perkinston, MS wrote: D. Virginiana or American Persimmon is great tree to have around. It's fruit can be eaten though it does contain more seeds than fruit pulp. Most American Persimmon trees don't produce fruit until the age of 7-10 years, I've seen trees produce earlier and some not at all. This tree can be used as rootstock (understock) to graft other types of Asian Persimmons to. Look at my plant profile to see photos of this tree. If you have any questions or need seeds from this tree please feel free to contact me at |
Neutral | On Apr 17, 2009, beaglenana from Los Alamos, NM wrote: I have questions that I hope someone can answer for me about the American persimmon. I live in Northern New Mexico at an elevation of 7250 ft. I have lived in my house for 25 years and there has always been a bush underneath my bathroom window that had white flowers in the spring, but that's all. This spring after the snow was gone, but before the plant leafed out or bloomed I noticed fruit on the plant - old dried fruit from last year apparently. A LOT of fruit. In 25 years this plant has never had fruit before. I was astonished. Apparently I did not notice said fruit amongst the leaves last spring or summer. None of the neighbors knew what it was and so I took some of it to our county extension agent and he said he believed it to be persimmon. Well I pooh poohed that becuase th... read more |
Positive | On Jan 7, 2009, mamooth from Indianapolis, IN (Zone 5b) wrote: The persimmon psyllid (a tiny bug) attacks this tree, causing new leaves to be crinkly and stunted. It's really only a problem for seedlings, which have a bigger percentage of new leaves, so seedlings can benefit from regular spraying. Spray before you see damage, because after you see the damage, it's too late. The bugs are in their little crinkly hideouts, and the spray won't touch them. |
Positive | On Dec 7, 2007, creekwalker from Benton County, MO (Zone 5a) wrote: I love Persimmons! I have 3 in my yard and I collect the fruit to use in baking. It is a little work getting the pulp from the seeds, but worth it to me. |
Positive | On Apr 15, 2007, BSTGS3 from Magnolia, TX wrote: I live in southeast Texas where the Common Persimmon is native. I try my best to only use native plants and trees on my property for a number of reasons. The persimmon fruit is eaten by a number of bird and mammal species. Also, I consider the attraction of webworms as a positive attribute since many more bird species such as warblers, vireos, cuckoos and many others use these as a food source as well. Futhermore, to the best of my knowledge, all bird species feed insects to their young of which webworms play a major role. Since the worms seem to do no permanent damage to the tree I find this a very acceptable symbiotic relationship. The benefits to wildlife far outweigh any negatives with the Common Persimmon. |
Negative | On Apr 28, 2006, gooley from Hawthorne, FL (Zone 8b) wrote: Okay, why do I give D. virginiana a negative vote? I live in north Florida on 36 acres of former farmland, and a good patch of it is covered with persimmon suckers, with scattered trees elsewhere.. There are a few ragged-looking trees over twenty feet tall that might be parents to the suckers; only an isolated one well away from those bears fruit so far as I've seen, so maybe all the others are males: the tree is dioecious. The suckers return with a vengeance when mown down, and the bulk of the roots underneath them seems to be so great that spraying Roundup on every visible persimmon leaf in an area is far from a sure kill. (2,4-D is said to be effective too, and if it's cheaper I'll certainly give it a try as well.) In the spring the glossy leaves are attractive, but within weeks eve... read more |
Positive | On May 1, 2005, Breezymeadow from Culpeper, VA (Zone 7a) wrote: This tree is native to Virginia as well & is a lovely - if large - addition to a home orchard or native planting. Wildlife - especially Red & Grey Fox around here - absolutely love the fruit, & we know it's starting to ripen when we find fox scat chockful of the large brown pits. |
Neutral | On Apr 30, 2005, john_mueller from Eugene, OR wrote: I HAVE A FEMALE TREE GROWN FROM SEED IN EUGENE, OREGON..I'M LOOKING FOR MALE CUTTING OR POLLEN...LAST YEAR IT HAD IMMATURE FRUIT. |
Positive | On Dec 26, 2004, TREEHUGR from Now in Orlando, FL (Zone 9b) wrote: Native to virtually the entire state of Florida and is a Florida fall/winter color tree. Interesting bark has a block pattern. |
Neutral | On Apr 15, 2004, melody from Benton, KY (Zone 7a) wrote: A great tree for shade in the summer. The fruits get messy in the Fall, so it is not suitable for planting in heavy traffic areas. Grows wild in West KY. |
Neutral | On Aug 31, 2001, smiln32 from Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a) wrote: Persimmon is a deciduous, Missouri native tree with a rounded, oval crown growing 35-60' tall and typically occurring in rocky or dry open woods, limestone glades, prairies, thickets, abandoned fields, and along roadsides. Ovate to elliptic leaves (2-6" long) are glossy dark green above, and turn yellowish green (infrequently reddish purple) in autumn. Species is usually dioecious (separate male and female trees), but some trees have perfect flowers. White to greenish yellow flowers appear in late spring, with the male flowers appearing in clusters and the female flowers appearing solitary. Edible persimmon fruits (1-2" in diameter) mature in fall to an orange to reddish purple color, and may persist on the tree into winter. One of the easiest deciduous trees to recognize in winter because... read more |
Neutral | On Aug 13, 2001, midwestsnowbird wrote: This is a native American tree. It has lustrous green leaves, attractive rough brown bark, and beautiful yellow to orange golf-ball size fruit that remains on the trees after the leaves fall. The drooping branches give this tree a graceful appearance. Trees grow 30-45 feet tall. |