I tried Prok this season from a friends orchard and I wasn't impressed by the flavor as it lacked over all character and sweetness. However the texture was nice compared to some of the other american persimmons i've tried, as well as the size. It was definitely more firm than others. I have heard from some sources that Prok has some asian in it, but I don't know if this is true. Here is a picture of one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25212487@N04/6224647515/in/photostream I also tried a claypool selection from another friends farm and again, compared to some of the other persimmons I've tried(which I'll explain next), it lacked over all flavor complexity. However it was sweeter than Prok. Here is a picture of that...unfortunately I don't remember the cultivar name, probably because it consisted of a few numbers and was easy to forget. Anyways, it was a claypool selection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25212487@N04/6271281968/in/photostream My best american persimmon experiences were all at Oikos Tree Crops in southwest, MI where I spent several months examining the american persimmons trees planted there. All of which are seedlings from good selections, i.e. yates, morris burton, etc. Ken Asmus has wonderful seedling planting with over 500 mature trees. There is incredible variation in fruit size, color, texture, flavor, and ripening time. Some don't even ripen in some years. We are working on developing a selection of cultivars from this planting that will be grafted and hopefully available in the nursery trade. These will be some of the northernmost american perisimmon selections, which is great for folks like me in MI where ripening can be a problem. One tree in particular was a seedling of Morris Burton and had AMAZINGLY delicious fruit with very high sugar content and a delectable flavor with butter scotchy notes..by far the sweetest I have ever tried. The flesh on this variety was a rich reddish color...very beautiful. Here is short video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iofe3u5pruY&list=UUsSu_6ip07ywsY37D35Cm8w&index=10&feature=plcp Out of the seedling population we also found a tree that produces blue skinned fruit. And not just a touch of blue but very blue! Here is a nice picture of it: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5167939059_56e3a070e3_z.jpg If you're in Michigan or a similar climate where ripening can be an issue I would consider planting some seedlings from Oikos Tree Crops if you have the space. Sorry I don't have more info about specific cultivars, will have more to come. Cheers!

Yaupon is borderline in upper zone 7. Some cold years it can freeze back. I do not believe it is native to Long Island, but I could be wrong. Goodness, for zone 7 there are SO very many hollies that are better looking than American Holly. Fosters #2 is nice, fast, good berries. Smaller leafed. Nellie Stevens is the default holly planted here. Takes shearing very well, but does get TALL. Look into 'Mary Nell'. Incredible leaf gloss and BERRIES, oh so many berries most years. 'Blue Maid' is a nice very hardy blue holly which grows slowly to 12 feet. It takes its time and will not need much pruning. Castle Wall is a very upright grower. (another Blue Holly). Chindo Viburnum might be worth looking into, if it's hardy in your area. Fast grower, very glossy, no spines. This post was edited by dave_in_nova on Mon, Sep 16, 13 at 9:43

The Orlando Pride selections of Ilex opaca are the American Hollies proven to be hardiest to low temperatures. Take a look at the selections that have been grown at the Secrest Arboretum in Wooster, Ohio to see which have been toughest against low winter temperatures. Zone 6 in PA is probably not going to offer the difficulties experienced in mid/northern OH. You should have the soils, hydrology, and temperatures to grow most all of the very good selections of American Holly that are out there. I live/grow in zone 5b/6a (-28F is about the worst we've had here) and here are some top performers: **'Judy Evans' **'Lady Alice' **'Jersey Princess' **'Miss Helen' **'Satyr Hill' **'Farage' **'Dan Fenton' **'Cheerful' Check the Holly Society of America website for listings of holly collections near where you garden, and see which selections of American Holly have thrived there. I don't think you will run across too many that you cannot successfully grow.

Interesting. So I have been watching the fruity one for 3 years now, and it seems to have that yellowish tinge every year. I just thought it was its natural color. It does seem to have a lighter colored leaf even in summer. Below are some pix I've taken at different times of year. (Yes, I'm obsessed with the stupid tree :-). We did have a dry late summer, maybe that contributed. But on the other hand - look at the foliage color difference between the two hollies even in summer: 2016-11-12: 2017-01-12: 2017-08-16: 2019-05-22