No, no persimmons from cuttings. Was just going to give it a try. The only experience I have with persimmons is my brother's tree, which is the native, not oriental type. It grows on its own roots and gets HUGE. It's not good for growing persimmons as it gets too tall to harvest easily and the fruit is only about 1.5" across. When it's ripe, it drops to the ground (from a great height), smashing as it hits bottom. There was a swing set under that particular tree and it was often covered with slimy, fermenting persimmon pulp. The lawn around it was likewise full of oozing persimmons. It was a very messy part of the yard.

I guess I won't be growing a persimmon from a cutting if the oriental types are grown on the native rootstock. I'd only lose it in the winter.

Diana Lynn

Wait one minute here Dianna, you can't just give up so quickly! After I read your want list, I found something on the internet that suggested oriental persimmon cuttings could be taken in late summer. I actually meant to cut some ichi Sunday morning to bring to the swap but completely forgot the cuttings and who it was who wanted them.

I've heard rumors of oriental persimmons growing on their own roots in temperate climates like ours. Maybe it's just easier for commercial nurseries to graft. The failures I had were grafted too. They died because the tap roots were damaged when they were dug at the nursery.

Hey, let's give it a go next year. I bought ichi originally because I read that they were impressively cold resistant. (Delicious too!)

Sure! Sounds great! Will have to look up ichikikei. You've revived my hope. Thanks!

Diana Lynn

persimmons are grafted because cuttings will not root, end of discussion. I have 'Great Wall' and it is absolutely laden with fruit, no seed, I can't eat them all. See link for discussion of persimmon.

Here is a link that might be useful: Persimmon Discussion of Fruits Forum

Sam, thanks for that link!

I had more persimmons than I could eat for 2 years before the squirrels discovered how tasty they were. Now I only get a few. The fuyu hasn't started bearing yet so I should be able to double my output at some point. This is the strategy I followed with figs. With increased fruit production I can pay the squirrel tax and still have enough left.

Great Wall was probably a better choice since the unripe fruit is astringent. Ichi and fuyu have had their natural defence bred out of them. I was planning to add a sheng (astringent) I have seen one and it was a beautiful tree with delicious fruit, but I have never seen or tasted a great wall. How did you happen to choose it?

If there is anyone here really serious about kaki persimmons find out if the Univ of Md's orchard still exists. This is near Wye Mills on Eastern Shore. I was there several years ago. Several acres of trees were under evaluation. They were all tagged, what a great place to evaluate the fruit. Some fruits were very large, some become watery or sugary without flavor. Some are mealy. My all time favorite is 'Saijo'. Some of the trees had winter damage. I tried growing 'Fuyu', although it grew well the first season it was killed outright the first winter. I don't recommend it for the mid-Atlantic.
I like 'Great Wall' because it has an attractive fruit, not watery, great taste, few seeds, and they don't ripen all at once.
Sam

I'm wondering how you are sure oriental persimmons can't be grown from cuttings. Is it based on personal experience or research? Could you direct me to any published information? I'm not doubting that you are correct--I'd just like to read more on the topic.

Thanks for letting me know about the Wye orchard. I'd love to see it too.

We went up to Afton Va today for Edible Landscaping's first annual persimmon festival. The weather was clear and sunny. There was a table loaded with different varieties of oriental persimmons to sample, plus persimmon ice cream, persimmon pudding and persimmon cake. They said they would put the recipes up on their web site later.

We had a tour of the nursery orchard, looking not only at the persimmon trees, but hardy pomegranates and hardy kiwis jujubes and che, picking and sampling the ripe fruit. I came intending to buy a sheng to go with my ichi and hana fuyu (persimmons were 20% off) but I couldn't resist the pomegranate from Turkmenistan. Wish I had room for both but sheng will have to wait. Now if I dug up a Japanese maple and brought it to the spring swap....

I didn't see any familiar faces in the crowd. Were any of you there? If not, try to make a note on your calendar for next year's festival and a place in your garden for a beautiful persimmon tree.

I want to add my 2 cents about native persimmons. They do get large. Their fruit is only edible late in the season, usually after the first frost. When it looks mushy is when it is sweetest and it is very sweet. They are one of the tastiest of the wild fruit available in the mid atlantic. Picked too early they are very astringent. I have enjoyed them for many years. Foxes and other wildlife eat them also.