Learn How to Grow a Fuyu Persimmon Tree

Fuyu persimmon tree or Diospyros spp. are fruiting trees that produce fruit that may make your mouth pucker when it is unripe or proclaim its ripe deliciousness to be “the fruit of the gods,” which is how the Latin name for persimmon is translated. Astringent tannin may be found in the unripe persimmons of the native American species Diospyros virginiana, which means the fruit must be allowed to mature before ingestion.

Diospyros Kaki is a Greek mythological figure. When developed to a soft texture, the Japanese persimmon “Fuyu” does not have an astringent taste, but it does have a more complex flavor. The taste is rich and sweet, similar to honey, with a tinge of mango in it. Oriental persimmon trees are well-suited for use in the home orchard or landscaping because of their compact size and high vitality.

What is the Best Place to Grow?

This tree, also known as the common persimmon, is endemic to the United States, with its range extending from Florida to Connecticut, westward to Iowa, and south to Texas. Growers can successfully produce persimmon trees in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. The American persimmon can withstand temperatures as low as -25 degrees F (32 degrees C), but the Asian persimmon can withstand winter temperatures as low as 0 degrees F (18 C). The Asian persimmon is commercially cultivated in the United States, and it may be purchased in nurseries that specialize in nuts and fruits that are not often available in grocery stores.

Planting Fuyu persimmon tree

The ‘Fuyu’ persimmon is a low-chill fruit that requires just an accumulation of 100 to 200 hours of temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the autumn and winter months in order to mature. Persimmons ‘Fuyu’ are productive in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 to 11, and they grow best in full sun on well-drained loam with a pH level of 6.0 to 7.5, according to the USDA. Heavy or sandy soils should be amended with compost and other organic resources, such as well-composted manure, in order to enhance the texture and fertility of the soil.

Although ‘Fuyu’ is self-fertile and does not need cross-pollination with another species, many horticulturists think that the fruit is better and more numerous when cross-pollination happens between two different species. ‘Fuyu’ trees, which may grow to be 18 to 20 feet tall, are often spaced more than 20 feet apart since the spread can be equivalent to the height. To accommodate the lengthy tap root, be sure to dig deep planting holes.

Pruning persimmon tree

Persimmon trees of the variety “Fuyu” should be trained to an open vase system while young in order to manage their thick foliage and enable penetration of light and air circulation in the mature tree. Reduce the height of freshly planted trees to 36 inches. If you are selecting six to eight shoots for the main scaffolding throughout the summer, wait until new growth is around 4 inches long before doing so. In order to create broad angles between the branches and the tree trunk, branches should be equally placed around the tree – for example, 10, 12, 2, 4, 6, 8 on an analog clock face – and evenly spread around the tree.

Ideally, the lowest scaffold branch should be between 24 and 32 inches above the ground level. Take off all of the other shoots at the time of trimming and as they grow during the summer months. The next winter, prune each scaffold branch back by roughly one-third of its length, making cuts slightly beyond the outward-facing buds. Continue to train the tree in this way for the foreseeable future. During the dormant season, remove any branches that are growing upward or that are injured.

Care & maintenance

During the spring and summer months when rainfall is insufficient, irrigate ‘Fuyu’ persimmon trees to keep the trees wet and avoid leaf and fruit drop. Persimmon trees need between 36 and 48 inches of water per year in most cases. Fertilizer is only necessary when growth is less than one foot per year or when the rich green color of the leaves begins to fade.

When the need for fertilizer is suggested, apply a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 10-20-20 to ensure that the plant receives the nutrients it requires. During the late winter or early spring, when new shoots begin to emerge from the tree canopy, apply 1 pound of fertilizer for every inch of trunk diameter beneath the canopy.

Harvest the Persimmon Fruits

Persimmons from the ‘Fuyu’ variety bear fruit late in the season, suitable for harvest in October or November. When the persimmon fruit is completely colored, remove it from the tree by cutting it close to the fruit calyx and hanging it to dry. Persimmons are prone to bruises, despite the fact that the ripe fruit is hard when plucked. Persimmons should be stored at room temperature until they are somewhat mushy and the taste has completely established. Fruit that has gone bad may be frozen or dried.