Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture, Brazos County AgriLife Extension; published 10/28/2025

All images unless otherwise noted by Stephen Brueggerhoff

I am a recent convert to the delicious taste of persimmon. I have a tree in the front yard that I recently harvested the ripe fruit, offering a sweet and almost jelly-like flesh that was outstanding in taste and texture. I invite you to consider persimmon for your home orchard.

Persimmon Origins

While native varieties such as the American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) can be cultivated, varieties of Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki), sometimes called Asian persimmon or Kaki, are often used in space constricted urban orchards. These fruiting members of the hardwood ebony plant family are small trees that can be used both as an ornamental landscape feature as well as a food source. American persimmon can reach up to 40-feet, while Japanese persimmon varieties can be kept compact at 15-feet. They are deciduous, with dark green leaves turning brilliant colors of orange red to gold in the fall. The majority produces medium tomato-sized fruit that are more oblong than round, featuring vivid colors from cream-orange to deep red that complement bare branches in early winter.

I am interested in the history of global plant distribution. Knowing where plants originated can help broaden our global cultural and culinary understanding of one another. According to a plant profile from the Missouri Botanical Garden, Japanese persimmon is native to a broad range of the Asian continent – from India and Myanmar to China and Korea and is widely cultivated in Japan. Kaki was brought to the U.S. from Japan in 1856 by Commodore Perry, more than likely attributed to the Perry Expedition and establishment of global trade with Japan. Commercial production increased in the 1930s in California and southeast U.S., and today most of the fruit sold in broad markets across the states are from California orchards.

Cultivating Asian Persimmon

Fortunately, persimmons can grow in a variety of soil types and success is dependant on the rootstock. Rootstock is defined as one variety or species of rooted tree that is top grafted with another species. For our eco-region, American persimmon is used as a rootstock for Japanese persimmon as it is more adaptable to regional soil profiles and resistant to soil-borne pathogens. Bare-root trees can be planted in January and February. Remove half of the top of the tree to a single trunk. Pruning in this fashion forces growth to develop a framework of branches based off a central leader. Containerized trees should be planted in early spring, from late February to early April and pruned to shape. Multiple plantings should be spaced twenty feet apart on center. Fruit develops on branches growing in the current season. As with most fruiting trees, you may begin to see fruit production within the first 3 years after establishment. Most Japanese persimmons produce seedless fruit, with exception of variety ‘Eureka.’ Some varieties, like ‘Fuyu,’ are self-fruitful. Fuyu can be used as a pollinator for all varieties grown in our area.

Astringent Versus Non-astringent Varieties

While persimmons are valued for their sweet taste and pleasant texture, varieties are listed as either astringent or non-astringent. Most persimmons are astringent and must be fully ripe and soft prior to eating to reduce an unpleasant palate pucker. Variety ‘Fuyu’ and ‘Izu’ are two non-astringent, medium-sized and self-fruitful varieties that perform well in our area. Fuyu fruit is flattened in appearance with a deep orange colored rind. Keep in mind that Fuyu can be affected by sustained seasonal freezing weather. Izu looks more rounded with lighter orange-yellow tones and is colder hardy than Fuyu. Variety ‘Tamopan’ is an astringent variety that produces large and flattened, orange-colored fruit. Tamopan has a distinctive ring constriction near the middle of the fruit, providing a wow factor for the effort of growing. This variety has a vigorous and upright growth habit, so my advice is to plant it as a single specimen in the home landscape. While we were not provided with a distinct varietal list of fruit trees planted at our newly purchased house, I determined by fruit shape, size, and color that I have an astringent variety ‘Hachiya’. I patiently waited until each fruit reached anticipated coloration at full ripeness, and then gently squeezed each fruit daily until I could find a little give for each that suggested ripeness for harvest. Japanese persimmon can make a great addition to your home landscape, a fruiting tree that can be kept pruned to height for smaller yards, has great seasonal value with vibrantly colored leaves and colorful fruits that can be left to ripen on the tree in the fall. Browse online on our Brazos County Master Gardener website, txmg.org/brazos for upcoming programs that will include 2026 Urban Orchard seminars.

Do you want to become a Texas Master Gardener? You can also find out more about our upcoming 2026 Texas Master Gardener training program from the BCMG website. I am delighted to tell you Dr. Garett Slater, Assistant Professor and Apiculture Extension Entomologist, will be joining me at Garden Success, my garden radio show this Thursday, November 27 at 12 pm on KAMU-FM 90.9. Dr. Slater directs the Texas Master Beekeeper program and will be talking about his efforts cultivating professional development for commercial and hobby beekeepers. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends, and I’ll see you in the garden.