Homemade Persimmon wine has a beautiful yellow or amber shade to it with a light fruity and honey aroma. It’s popular in Korea and Russia. You can use ripe persimmons of any variety. Just make sure that they are not astringent because this may result in a harsh wine.
- Prior to starting the winemaking process, make sure that there are no blackened, tainted, and molded fruits.
- If necessary you can cut out the spoilt parts because this pulp might spoil the whole batch.
- In order to avoid infecting the wine with pathogenic microorganisms, you should sterilize all of the vessels with boiling water and wipe them with a clean dry towel.
Make sure to wash your hands with soap. When making wine it’s important to keep everything clean, Ingredient :
- Persimmons – 3 kilos
- Water – 2.5 liters
- Sugar – 650 grams
- Citric acid – 5 grams per 1 liter of must
- Wine yeast
Citric acid is required to stabilize acidity. Without it, fermentation will be weak and wine will have a short shelf life. It’s better to use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of powder—one middle-sized lemon contains about 5-6 grams of citric acid.
- If you don’t have wine yeast, you can make it yourself, 3-4 days before treating the persimmons you should prepare a ferment from unwashed raisins. Don’t add baker’s or distiller’s yeast or instead of wine you’ll end up with moonshine wash. Or you can simply buy Wine Yeast,
- Cut the persimmons in a few pieces and remove the pits and white pulp.
- Mince the pieces along with peels using a meat grinder or blender until you get a puree.
- Put this puree into a non-metallic vessel with a wide neck. You can use a bucket or tub.
- Dissolve 350 grams of sugar in cold water. Pour the minced persimmon with this syrup. Add the wine yeast and mix.
- Cover the vessel with cheesecloth or fabric and transfer it to a dark place with a temperature of 18-28°C. Leave it for 3 days. Stir the mixture every 8-10 hours to drown the pulp on its surface. Few hours after adding yeast you should notice foam on the surface, bubbling and sour scent. This means that everything goes according to the plan.
- Strain the must through cheesecloth or thick fabric. Squeeze the pulp till dry.
- Add citric acid and 150 grams of sugar to pure juice and stir. Pour the juice into a fermentation container, Fill it up to a maximum of 75% of the volume so that there is enough space left for sugar and foam. Install an airlock of any design on the neck of the container. Leave the filled container in a dark place with a temperature of 20-28°C until the fermentation process is finished.
A simple airlock with a tube and medical glove
5 days after the airlock has been installed, add the remaining portion of sugar (150 grams). To do this, separately drain 100 ml fermenting juice, dissolve sugar in it, and pour the obtained syrup back into the fermenting wine vessel. Then close the container with the airlock once again. Depending on the temperature and yeast used, the fermentation process of homemade persimmon wine lasts 35-60 days. You can tell that the fermentation process has stopped if the airlock has stopped emitting gas (or the glove deflated), there’s no more foam, there’s a layer of sediment at the bottom, and the wine becomes lighter. You can go to the next step.
If the fermentation process lasts for more than 50 days after the airlock installation, the wine should be decanted and then put under the airlock again to ferment at the same temperature in order to avoid letting it become bitter.
- After the fermentation is over, gently decant the fermented wine into another container. Taste it and add more sugar to sweeten the taste if needed (optional). You can also increase ABV by adding vodka or alcohol in amounts of 2-15% of the wine volume. Increasing the ABV prolongs shelf life but makes the taste harsher.
- Fill the aging vessels with wine to the brim, so that there is no contact with oxygen. Seal them tightly (if you added sugar keep the vessels under airlocks for the first 7-10 days). In case you added sugar during the previous stage you should install the airlock for the first 7-10 days to prevent refermentation.
- Transfer the wine to a fridge or cellar for aging. Leave it for at least 5-6 months. Aging significantly improves wine’s taste.
- In case of 3-5 cm sediment layer forming, you should filter the beverage by pouring it through a tube into another vessel. The wine is considered ready when there’s no more sediment build-up for several months.
Wine’s shade depends on the color of persimmon peel and pulp
Optionally bottle the wine for storage and hermetically seal it. Its shelf life in a fridge or cellar is up to 3 years.10-14% ABV.
Contents
- 1 What are the different types of persimmons?
- 2 How do you know when persimmons are ripe?
- 3 Are all persimmons the same?
- 4 Why does my mouth feel weird after eating persimmon?
- 5 How do you ripen raw persimmons?
- 6 Is persimmon healthier than apple?
- 7 Which persimmon is sweeter?
- 8 What is the disadvantage of eating persimmon?
Are all persimmons edible?
Astringent varieties such as the Japanese Hachiya and the American persimmon are sharp and bitter in taste unless they have been carefully ripened to the point of a jelly-soft consistency on the inside. Non-astringent varieties such as the Fuyu can be eaten out of hand, skin and all.
What are the different types of persimmons?
How many types of persimmons are there? – There are two main types of persimmons – the astringent variety (like hachiya) and the non-astringent (like fuyu). The non-astringent can be eaten fresh and have a mild, sweet flesh. The astringent variety have bitter skin with a jammy interior when they’re fully ripe.
How do you know when persimmons are ripe?
When Are Oriental Persimmons Ripe? – Oriental persimmons often resemble slicing tomatoes clinging to the branches of a tree. A persimmon tree with a bountiful crop makes a colorful fall landscape plant just as the growing season is winding down. Oriental persimmons often ripen slightly later than their American cousins.
Count on Oriental fruit to ripen in October or November. Color is an indicator of ripeness. The color of ripe Oriental persimmons varies by variety. Some varieties are deep orange when ripe, while other varieties are orange-yellow at optimum sweetness. If you know the variety of your tree, research its mature color.
Unknown varieties call for trial and error to figure out their mature color. Texture is another reliable indicator of ripeness. Oriental persimmons are generally soft to the touch when ripe—you want a similar softness to that of a ripe tomato, The skin should give slightly but they don’t have to be so soft that they fall apart in your hand.
Is it safe to eat unripe hachiya persimmon?
So, are persimmons dangerous to eat? – When someone asks, “can you eat persimmons?” The answer is – “it depends when!” Let’s break it down with a little bit of science and some best practices! Unlike other poisonous plants, flowers like daffodils, or deadly mushrooms, the danger of persimmons isn’t actually a poisonous compound, but instead a kind of tannin called shibuol.
- The same thing that gives you that famous persimmon dry mouth from eating unripe Hachiya persimmons is the compound that can end up being dangerous.
- These tannins shrink the mucus membranes in the mouth and throat, and although extremely unpleasant, this part isn’t harmful.
- The problem arises when these tannins hit stomach acid.
When shibuol reacts with your stomach acid, especially on an empty stomach or if you eat a large number of persimmons in one sitting, it can coagulate and form a bezoar, a phytobezoar to be exact.
Which type of persimmon is better?
Persimmons are a delicious, easy-to-grow winter fruit that is popular in both America and Asia. Choose the right persimmon tree for your yard by learning about the flavor, zone hardiness, and pollination requirements. The persimmon tree has been enjoyed for hundreds of years.
Native Americans valued persimmon trees for their flavor, nutritional value, and ability to hang on the tree through the winter. They often dried and stored persimmons, or used them to make tasty bread. The flavor of a ripe persimmon is sweet and date-like while unripe fruit is very astringent and has an unpleasant flavor.
The fall fruit comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures. Persimmons can be large and round or medium and flat in shape while texture varies from crunchy and apple-like to soft and tomato-like. Fruit off persimmon trees can be eaten fresh, dried, or in your favorite dessert recipes.
Fuyu / Jiro Persimmon Tree: This the most popular variety on this list, and for good reason. Fuyu produces a medium-sized deep red-orange piece of fruit with a lighter pale-orange flesh. Fruit is sweet and non-astringent which is quite uncommon for persimmons. Chocolate Persimmon Tree: This North American Persimmon variety unusually non-astringent and is medium-sized and elongated in shape. The flesh is firm, dotted in chocolate-colored specks, and is sweet with hints of cocoa flavor. This unique variety is tied to the same zone constrictions as Fuyu which are 7-10 as they are not tolerant of sub-zero temperatures. Hachiya Persimmon Tree: Hachiya produces a large, deep orange-red fruit that is sweet when ripe. Hot summers are required to ripen fruit to full maturity and rid the fruit of its astringency. Though this variety can be grown anywhere from zone 7-10, for the best fruit quality, stick to warm climates(SoCal, Midwest, South, and Florida). Like Fuyu, Hachiya is also self-fruitful. Coffee Cake Persimmon Tree: This is such a unique tasting piece of fruit and similar to chocolate persimmon, it’s named after the flavor. This incredible piece of fruit is sweet, rich, and spicy. The brownish flesh is firm and non-astringent when ripe. Coffee Cake is still fall/winter ripening but ripens a good month before Fuyu. Another persimmon variety is required as a pollinator, the best one being Chocolate. The zone hardiness is the same as the rest of the Persimmons on this list 7-10. follow the directions below for planting and tree care instructions.
These incredibly hardy trees grow best in zones 7-10, tolerating temperatures down to 0° F. Varieties like, Fuyu/Jiro, Hachiya, and Chocolate are self-fruitful, whereas Coffee Cake requires a second variety nearby for pollination. During the cold fall and winter months, the trees put on a spectacular performance of autumn colors before losing all of their leaves and are left with just the fruit hanging off the tree.
Growing a persimmon tree is not particularly difficult. They require a sunny location, with well-draining soil. These trees are relatively easy to maintain and without feeding, the growth rate of a persimmon tree is about 12-24″ per year. They can reach 30-50 feet with a 30-foot spread, so planning where to plant your tree is important.
Also, be ready for lots of fruit! To plant a persimmon tree, dig a deep hole at least as deep as the container or rootball as they have deep taproots. Be sure not to plant your tree below the graft line that way you retain the benefits of the rootstock.
A regular watering schedule and seasonal pruning can set your tree up for success, and your should start seeing fruit around year 3. These hardy trees are not heavy feeders so no fertilizer is necessary unless you start to notice that your tree is struggling. Check Your Grow Zone Protect your fruit trees from the hot summer sun, winter cold, pests, and rodents with Plant Gaurd tree paint and foliar spray.
Shop Persimmon Trees Check out Growing Persimmons for more information!
Which persimmons can you not eat raw?
Types of Persimmons – In the U.S., there are two types of commercial persimmons widely available: Fuyus and Hachiyas.
Fuyus, otherwise known as sweet or non-astringent persimmons, are moderately sweet, with a firm flesh. They have a squat, tomato-esque shape with a flat bottom. Unlike their astringent counterparts, Fuyus are okay to eat when they’re still quite firm, like an apple. Use them in sweet and savory dishes, or just enjoy them raw. Hachiyas, also known as bitter or astringent persimmons, should not be eaten until fully ripe. Before they’ve reached peak ripeness, Hachiyas will have a virtually inedible, chalky taste. To avoid this unpleasant surprise, make sure you allow Hachiyas to ripen until they’re soft and about to burst. This ensures the tannins will have dissipated, and you’ll have a sweet, smooth persimmon on your hands. To identify a Hachiya persimmon, look for fruit with a long shape that tapers off at the bottom, kind of like an acorn.
Which is better hachiya or fuyu persimmon?
Fuyu vs. Hachiya: How to Use California Persimmons « GrubMarket Blog It’s finally fall and the farmer’s markets from Santa Monica to Silverlake are filling up with our favorite fall fruit obsession, persimmons ! There are hundreds of different kinds of persimmons, but the two you are most likely to see here in Southern California are Hachiya and Fuyu,
- Both delicious with notes of cinnamon and brown sugar, they’re each perfect for fall recipes.
- However, with very different textures, when and how you eat them makes a big difference! Hachiya (left) and Fuyu (right) are both locally grown persimmons that have beautiful cinnamon notes, perfect for fall.
However, the Hachiya’s texture is best when extremely ripe, almost jelly-like in texture, while the Fuyu can be eaten while hard, like an apple.
Are all persimmons the same?
Persimmon Varieties Persimmon Varieties In great contrast to the native American persimmon, Diospyros virginiana L., which has never advanced beyond the status of a minor fruit, an oriental member of the family Ebenaceae, D. kaki L., is prominent in horticulture.
Perhaps best-known in America as the Japanese, or Oriental, persimmon, it is also called kaki (in Spanish, caqui), Chinese plum or, when dried, Chinese fig. Of the 2,000 cultivars known in China, cuttings of 52, from the provinces of Honan, Shensi and Shansi, were brought into the United States in 1914.J.
Russell Smith, an esteemed economic-geographer, collected a number of types near the Great Wall of China in 1925 and some of the trees still survive in his derelict orchard in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southern Virginia. Over 800 kinds are grown in Japan but less than 100 are considered important.
- Among prominent cultivars are the non-astringent ‘Fuyu’, ‘Jiro’, ‘Gosho’ and ‘Suruga’; the astringent ‘Hiratanenashi’, ‘Hachiya’, ‘Aizumishirazu’, ‘Yotsumizo’ and ‘Yokono’.
- The Persimmon cultivars are divided into two categories, namely “Astringent and Non-astringent” persimmons.
- Astringent : Astringent cultivars have a taste that puckers the mouth, numbs the tongue, and constricts the throat.
This taste is caused by astringent substances such as tannins. The astringent taste is dominant in unripened bananas, unripe persimmons, and acorns, and it prevents them from being eaten (Figure 1). The compound which causes the astringent experience when eating persimmons has been found to be water-soluble tannin (kaki-tannin), which is located in tannin cells of the fruit.
- When these cells burst in the chewing process, the tannin adsorbs to the protein on the tongue and gives a sensation of dehydration.
- Astringent fruit must be soft or artificially treated to remove astringency and make them suitable for eating.
- Non-astringent : Can be eaten even in it’s hard, orange stage as the tannin content is greatly reduced, the moment it turn from green to orange.
Non-astringent cultivars have lost their astringency by maturity and can be eaten crisp like an apple or at various stages of softness. Fig.1Nonastringent persimmon ‘Fuyu’ (left) and astringent ‘Hiratanenashi’ (right) ready-to-eat cultivars Each group can be further classified on their response to pollination into: pollination constant (no change in flesh color after pollination) and pollination variant (flesh is light color when seedless and dark when seeded, especially around the seed).
- Pollination variant varieties (astringent when seedless): includes those that are astringent when they have several seeds, and partially or totally non-astringent when they have only one or a few seeds.
- The flesh is yellow when there are no seeds and dark when seeds are present (‘Rama Forte’, ‘Guiombo’, ‘Luiz de Queiroz’, ‘Hyakume’, ‘Chocolate’, etc.).
Pollination-constant types lack the dark streaking regardless of seed set. In astringent cultivars of the pollination-variant type, the dark flesh is nonastringent even when hard; therefore, seeded, pollination-variant astringent cultivars perform as nonastringent types.
- The amount of dark flesh coloration around the seeds varies with cultivars.
- In most areas of the world, astringent pollination-variant types, which have a great amount of dark flesh, are classified as nonastringent cultivars.
- However, typically in Florida, these persimmons are grown without pollinators, and their seedless astringent fruit necessitates classifying them as astringent types.
Some dark specks can be found in the flesh of ‘Fuyu’ and other nonastringent cultivars. This is not linked to seed set and has no significance to the variant-constant classification system. Plantings of non-astringent persimmons can be made to include cultivars that will ripen fruit from late September to early December.
The cultivars recommended seem to produce the highest percent of marketable fruit. ‘Izu’ is the choice for the early season, ‘Matsumoto’ Wase’ for the mid-season, and ‘Fuyu’ for the late season. ‘Fuyu’ is the most readily available and is generally considered the best commercial non astringent cultivar in Florida.
‘ Chocolate ‘ Astringent When Seedless – Late Season D. lotus 200 hrs Small to medium-sized, oblong-conical fruit. Skin reddish orange. Flesh brown-streaked when pollinated, must be soft-ripe before eating. Ripens late October to early November. Tree large, vigorous, producing many male blossoms.
- Recommended as a pollinator for pollination variant cultivars such as ‘Hyakuma’ and ‘Zenji Maru’.
- Choice of connoisseurs.
- Astringent type fruit develops sweet, spicy brown flesh when pollinized by another variety of Asian persimmon.
- Can be ripened off tree.
- The best pollinizer for the ‘Nishimura Wase’ is ‘Coffee Cake’ variety.
Named chocolate because this medium-sized Japanese type persimmon has a chocolaty-brown flesh that is extremely tasty and sweet.Ripens late October into early November. Climate Zones: 7 to 11 ‘Eureka’ Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki Fig.2 ‘Eureka’ has been widely propagated by southern nurseries and is a common cultivar in Texas. It has a large, round, flat-shaped, pollination variant fruit with a medium amount of dark flesh around the seed. Puckered at the calyx. Skin bright orange-red.
Fig.3 | Fig.4 |
table>
The ‘Fuyu’, also known as ‘Fuyugaki’ (“winter persimmon”), is the most popular non-astringent tree in Florida and is the most widely grown persimmon cultivar in the world. This large, round, flattened fruit has reddish-orange skin when ripe. It is weakly 4-sided and, with very few seeds.
- The tree bears at a young age and is a heavy producer.
- Self fertile and pest free.
- The fruit is seedless and is excellent for fresh eating or cooking.
- Fruit thinning is usually necessary to ensure large fruit, prevent clustering and regulate crop loads.
- Incidence of fruit imperfections are low, yields are good, and the tree is generally well adapted.
Soluble solids average 18 to 19%. Many different cultivars with the name ‘Fuyu’ or ‘Fuyugaki’ exist. The best cultivar is the one commonly available in Florida. Harvest season is mid-November through early December. ‘Fuyu’ is highly recommended for north and north central Florida.
Pollination constant. From Fruit Varieties & Horticultural Digest, Vol.21(1), 1970, p.6: Medium-to-small size, oblate shaped fruit with attractive orange-red skin and non-astringent flesh. The flesh is deep orange and contains many small specks. ‘Fuyu’ is noted for its complete lack of astringency, even when firm.
From Persimmons for California, by Kay Ryugo, et al, California Agriculture, July-August 1988, p.9: The leaf isozyme patterns and fruit size and eating quality indicate that this cultivar is identical to the original cultivar ‘Fuyu’, widely grown in Japan.
- Trees tend to bear in alternate years, producing large quantities of small fruit in the “on” year and a modest crop of large fruit in the “off” year.
- In Japan, the crop is thinned early in the on year to obtain large fuit at harvest.
- The most popular non-astringent variety, but hardy to only 15° F.
- ‘ Gailey ‘ Astringent – Mid Season D.
kaki ‘Gailey’ is the standard pollinating cultivar and has small to medium size fruit. Concentric ring cracking is common and its pollination variant fruit are very dark-fleshed, even with small seed numbers. Fruit roundish to conical with a rounded apex. Fig.7 ‘Giombo’ is similar to ‘Saijo’ in fruit quality, although the fruit are much larger and begin ripening 2 weeks later. Fruit are light translucent orange and thin-peeled with a sweet, juicy, jelly type flesh. ‘Giombo’ fruit are a connoisseur’s choice. Fig.8 ‘Great Wall’ is a strong growing, upright tree having small 4-sided fruit. The flesh is dry, similar to ‘Tanenashi’, but of excellent quality. ‘Great Wall’ is small, flat, with fine black stripes extending from the calyx; astringent, a biennial bearer; does well in Florida. Hardy to 0° F.
- ‘ Hachiya ‘
- D. kaki
-
Astringent – Mid Season 200 hrs Fig.9 The Japanese ‘Hachiya’ persimmon tree is remarkably cold tolerant and vigorous in the South when grafted on native American persimmon. The Japanese ‘Hachiya’ produces delicious persimmon fruit that keeps very well when refrigerated.
- The ‘Hachiya’ often bears so much persimmon fruit that the limbs have to be propped up with bamboo poles.
- The ‘Hachiya’ has been dried in Japan for markets of delicious dried persimmon fruit.
- The variety most often found in stores.
- The 4″ long acorn shaped fruit is deep orange when ripe and very sweet and flavorful.
Astringent until ripened off the tree and eaten when soft. Doesn’t need a pollinizer. Oblong-conical, 3 3/4 in (9.5 cm) long, 3 1/4 in (8.25 cm) wide; skin glossy, deep orange-red; flesh dark-yellow with occasional black streaks. Seedless or with a few seeds.
- Mid season to late.
- Tree well-formed and prolific in Kulu Valley, India.
- Hachiya’ is a commercial cultivar in California.
- Ability to set and hold fruit is sometimes a problem if this cultivar is propagated onto Diospyros virginiana rootstock.
- The fruit are high quality and jelly-fleshed with an attractive red skin coloration.
Fruit will often have concentric ring cracking at the apical end and will ripen unevenly starting from these points. In Japan, ‘Hachiya’ is mostly used for drying. Climate Zones: 7 to 10 ‘Hanagosho’ Non Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki Fig.10 ‘Hanagosho’ ( “flower of the Imperial Palace”) is a large tree with vigorous upright growth and a strong scaffold system.
The tree will usually have a small amount of male flowering every year and crop regulation is good. The fruit and leaves are slightly more susceptible to late season pathogens than most cultivars. ‘Hanagosho’ is a large tree and a good homeowner cultivar. ‘Hanagosho’ is of excellent quality but in Florida is slow in losing astringency and the tree is deficient in male flowers.
‘Hana Fuyu’ Non Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki Fig.11 ‘Hana Fuyu’, also known as ‘Yotsundani’, or ‘Giant Fuyu’, regulates crop loads well and is of medium vigor. The fruit are slightly larger than most, generally free of imperfections and may be slow to lose astringency.
The tree is a good homeowner cultivar. It is self fruitful and the fruit tastes sweet with a fine flavor, even in the green stage! It is easy to grow either in hot, dry or cold climates. It also grows about twice the size of the regular ‘Fuyu’ persimmon. The skin reveals a bright red pulp that is delicious and aromatic.
The fruit is crunchy when ripe and is non-astringent.
- ‘Hana Fuyu’ is oblate, and usually seedless; late mid season; tree is small, bears regularly but yield is low; prone to premature shedding of fruit; fairly common in northern Florida.
- ‘ Hiratanenashi ‘
- D. kaki
Astringent – Mid Season
Fig.12 |
Hiratanenashi’ is a widely grown commercial cultivar in Japan. The fruit have a thick peel and a long shelf life. The flesh is juicy, somewhat watery and almost always seedless. The astringency is sometimes difficult to remove after the fruit have been harvested unless they are artificially treated. ‘Ichi Ki Kei Jiro’ Non Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki
Fig.13 | Fig.14 |
table>
Ichikikei Jiro’ is a bud sport from ‘Jiro’. The tree is comparatively smaller than most and regulates its crop loads well. It will mature seedless crops and is a good homeowner cultivar. Apical end splitting usually occurs in a percentage of the fruit.
- The tree is around 7 days later than most cultivars to begin growing in the spring.
- This sometimes helps it to escape spring freeze injury.
- Harvest season is mid-October to mid-November.
- ‘Ichikikei Jiro’ is recommended for north and north central Florida.
- ‘Ichikikei Jiro’ is medium-large, oblate, orange, non-astringent; early-ripening; tree is not vigorous but still this cultivar is among the best of the non-astringent class in Florida.
Recommended for the Gulf Coast. Hardy to 0° F. ‘Izu’ Izu is a seedling of Fuyu x Okugosho. Non-Astringent – Early Season D. kaki 100 hrs
Fig.17 | Fig.18 |
table>
The earliest ripening of the good quality Asian persimmons, about three weeks before ‘Fuyu’. This is a non-astringent selection. It sets medium sized fruit on a dwarf tree. Very sweet, tasty, medium to large size, round shape. Relatively small tree, good choice for backyard persimmon.
- Sometimes difficult to start from bareroot.100 hours.
- This is the best variety in areas where ripening is a problem.
- Self fertile.
- ‘Izu’ has the distinction of being the earliest ripening nonastringent cultivar.
- Tree vigor is very low, and it is not precocious.
- Fruit size is medium-large, and soluble solids average 16%.
Fruit shape is oblate, and a fair percentage of fruit show imperfections. Harvest season is late September through mid-November. ‘Izu’ is sometimes recommended due to early ripening. ‘Jiro’ Non-Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki 200 hrs
Fig.21 | Fig.22 |
table>
Pollination constant. From Persimmons for California, by Kay Ryugo, et al, California Agriculture, July-August 1988, p.9: This cultivar has also been propagated and sold as ‘Fuyu’ in California. ‘Jiro’ fruits are more truncated and squarish in cross-section than those of ‘Fuyu’.
- Leaves of ‘Jiro’ trees, more so than ‘Fuyu’ leaves, appear chlorotic in the early spring, especially after a cold, wet winter.
- ‘Jiro’ is moderate in tree vigor.
- Cropping can be erratic when trees are young, but more consistent yield is produced on older trees.
- Fruit size is medium-large, soluble solids are 16%–19%, and fruit shape is oblate.
Some tip cracking on fruit may occur. Harvest season is mid-October through mid-November. ‘Jiro’ is recommended. Hardy to 0° F. ‘Maekawa Jiro’ Non-Astringent D. kaki 200 hrs
Fig.25 | Fig.26 |
table>
Round and flat with an orange skin and sweet mild flesh. It is a non-astringent type, great eaten while firm. Firm and crunchy with a sweet sugar cane like flavor. Doesn’t need a pollinizer. Needs a long hot summer to ripen reliably. A popular dooryard fruit and a handsome ornamental with drooping leaves and branches that give it a languid, rather tropical appearance.
Under mild autumn conditions the leaves often turn dramatic shades of yellow, orange and red. Tea can also be made from fresh or dried leaves.’Maekawa Jiro’, a bud sport of Jiro, is low to moderate in vigor. Fruit size is large, and fruit shape is oblate. There is some tendency for fruit to incur tip cracking.
Harvest season is mid-October to mid-November. ‘Makawa Jiro’ is not recommended for north and north central Florida. Climate Zones: 7 to 11 ‘Matsumoto Wase Fuyu’ Non Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki 200 hrs
Fig.29 | Fig.30 |
Matsumoto Wase Fuyu’ is an earlier ripening bud sport of ‘Fuyu’ discovered by Mr. Matsumoto. The tree sets many flowers and produces heavy clustered crops. The clusters should be thinned to prevent bent limbs with excessive fruit loads. Larger fruit are sometimes prone to calyx separation.
- The tree is moderately vigorous and of medium size.
- Soluble solids range from 16% to 19%, which is generally true for most mid-season types.
- Fruit is medium in size and oblate in shape.
- There is little or no tendency for fruit to incur tip cracking.
- One of our favorites.
- Firm and crunchy with a sweet sugar cane like flavor.
Known for it’s early ripening, this is a good variety for short season areas. ‘Masumoto’ persimmon tree is a small grower, rarely exceeding 15 foot in height. Fruit ripens mid-October through mid-November.
- Climate Zones 7-9.
- ‘Midia’
- D. kaki
Non Astringent – Mid Season
Fig.31 |
Midia’ trees are moderate in vigor but are more susceptible to tree decline than most other Japanese persimmons. Fruit set and fruit retention until harvest are not consistently high. ‘Midia’ produces the largest fruit of any cultivar of nonastringent persimmon.
Fig.32 | Fig.33 |
The fruit from the ‘Nikita’s Gift’ hybrid persimmon tree is astringent until it is fully ripe much like one of the parents, the American persimmon, Diospyrous virginiana ; and the ripe stage color is orange-red and very sweet, a genetic inheritance from the Oriental persimmon parentage Diospyrous kaki,
- The ripened fruit can be 3 inches long with a rather flattened shape that is attached to the twigs on the trees in large clusters when first formed, but thinning the fruit on the branches will increase the fruit’s size.
- Most outstanding persimmon trees that were growing in the past have been limited to the Southern U.S., but now ‘Nikita’s Gift’ from Yalta in the Ukraine has released this Russian hybrid persimmon that blends the color and flavor of the oriental persimmons D.
kaki with the cold hardiness and late ripening characteristics of the American persimmon to produce this hybrid that was licensed for growing in the U.S. by the Ukraine, formerly a Russian republic. ‘Nishimura Wase’ Astringent When Seedless – Early Season D.
kaki Fig.34 ‘Nishumura Wase’ is an early cultivar, ripening its first fruit in early August. It is pollination variant and must be fully seeded to be non-astringent. It consistently sets male flowers. The fruit have soluble solids around 13% to 15% and are somewhat watery. The tree is well-spreading, somewhat vigorous and a good annual cropper.
The fruit is large and roundish. The tree is vigorous and easy to grow. It is called Coffee Cake for its rich flavor and brown flesh color when ripe. Unique spicy-sweet flavor that instantly evokes images of cinnamon pastry, hot coffee and morning sunshine.
Coffeecake™ ripens about the same time as Chocolate and about three weeks to one month earlier than ‘Fuyu’. It is a non astringent pollination variant which means it develops its rich sweet flavor best when it is pollinized. ‘Gosho’ and ‘Chocolate’ are the best pollinizers. Climate Zones: 7 to 10 ‘Ormond’ Astringent – Late Season D.
kak i Fig.35 ‘Ormond’ is sometimes called the Christmas persimmon. Fruit are long, conic and are often harvested in January. The tree begins growing early in the spring which increases chances for freeze injury. ‘Ormond’–oblong-conical, 2 5/8 in (6.5 cm) long, 1 7/8 in (4.7 cm) thick.
Skin reddish-yellow with thin bloom; flesh orange-red, moderately juicy; seeds large. Very late. Keeps well. Often the last tree to finish ripening it’s fruit. The ‘Ormond’ persimmon tree is a vigorous mid size growing tree. with beautiful small sized long, fruits that hang in heavy clusters like grapes.
We harvest and serve them as in clusters for bite size snacks. Fabulous variety for central Florida. Fruit ripens December to January. Climate Zones 8-9. ‘Saijo’ Astringent – Early Season D. kaki Fig.36 ‘Saijo’ ( “the very best one”) is considered one of the sweetest persimmons although traces of astringency sometimes remain when the fruit is soft.
Fruit ripen early to mid-season and are relatively small with a long conic shape, and a translucent orange jelly type flesh. Soluble solids range from 16 to 22%. The large, upright, vigorous tree is capable of producing heavy yields. It is a good homeowner type. ‘Saijo’ fruits are like small orange plum shapes balls of honey.
Free of seeds and a consistent bearer. The ‘Saijo’ persimmon tree is a large, upright grower, makes a good small shade tree. One of the first persimmon fruits of the season, starting in September, and continuing into October. Climate Zones 7-9. Skin resists cracking.
- Dries and stores well.
- Astringent – Mid Season D.
- Kaki Fig.37 ‘Sheng’ is a well spreading tree with large fruit having six lobed sections looking somewhat like a 4 or 6 leaf clover from the top.
- Fruit have a high jelly content, are bright orange, and when pollinated will set many seed.
- The most beautiful persimmon of all! Shaped just like a miniature pumpkin.
The fruit is flat, and is ribbed and tucked in around the calyx. Flavor is spicy sweet. The ‘Sheng’ persimmon tree is a medium sized tree, bearing good crops consistently. The tree has some cold tolerance. Fruit ripens mid September through mid October. Climate Zones 6-9.
- ‘Shogatsu’
- D. kaki
- ‘Shogatsu’ is similar to ‘Hanogosho’ in tree habit, however, more problems with fruit end splitting and leaf spots occur.
Non-Astringent – Mid Season Fig.38 ‘Shogatsu’ is flattened, non-astringent, of fair quality; bears an abundance of male flowers. Does well in Florida. ‘Suruga’ Seedling of Hanagosho x Okugosho Non-Astringent – Late Season D. kaki 200 hrs
Fig.39 | Fig.40 |
table>
Suruga’ (distributed in 1959); orange-red, non-astringent, very sweet, keeps well. ‘Suruga’ is the sweetest of the non-astringent types with soluble solids often 18- 21%. Red coloration in mature fruit is strong, and fruit imperfections are fairly common.
Fig.43 |
Introduced from China in 1905, again in 1916 (S.P.I. Nos.16912, 16921, 26773). Broad oblate, somewhat 4-sided; indented around the middle or closer to the base; 3 to 5 in (7.5-12.5 cm) wide; skin thick, orange-red; flesh light-orange, usually astringent until fully ripe, then sweet and rich.
In some parts of China and Japan said to be non-astringent. Seedless or nearly so. Of medium quality; late (Nov.) in Florida; midseason in California. Was being grown commercially in North Carolina and at Glen St. Mary, Florida, in 1916. ‘Tamopan’ is a cultivar with large fruit that is juicy, watery and stringy, with a thick peel.
More than one cultivar of this tree exists, some of which have better fruit than the one described.
- ‘Tanenashi’
- D. kaki
Astringent – Mid Season 200 hrs Fig.44 ‘Tanenashi’ or ‘Tananashi’, which means seedless (seed in Japanese=tane). Oval, 4-5″, skin light yellow or orange, inside dark orange-red, eaten soft (=astringent), very sweet, seedless, vigorous tree, prolific. Leading cultivar in SE USA.
The ‘Tanenashi’ Persimmon produces all male flowers, so that the sweet delicious fruit when ripe is seedless. The astringent character of the ‘Tanenashi’ Persimmon can be avoided if the fruit is fully ripe and soft after picking from the tree. The Southeastern U.S. was planted into huge acreages of Japanese ‘Tanenashi’ Persimmon Trees, where the trees will produce fruit reliably every year, but in California the ‘Tanenashi’ cultivar tends to bear in alternate years.
Productive throughout Florida. ‘Tanenashi’, the most popular astringent cultivar in Florida, matures heavy crops without pollination and will seldom set seed even if pollinated. It is usually desirable to thin the fruit to obtain some vegetative growth during the year.
- The fruit, often large, 3½” across, can weigh over ¾ of a pound.
- Skin color is deep yellow to orange when mature.
- Flesh is orange, pasty, comparatively dry, and of acceptable quality.
- Soluble solids average 16%.
- Harvest duration may extend from September through November.
- It is a good tree for homeowners.
Fruits are similar to ‘Hachiya’ but very slow to lose astringency. Popular in Japan. Thick skin, tends to be seedless. ‘Thriumph’ Astringent D. virginiana Native American Persimmon. Smaller, 2-3″ fruit, astringent, doesn’t need cold to bloom, eaten soft. A plum-like berry that is green before ripening, turning orange to black when ripe, 3/4 to 2 inches in diameter.
- Cold hardy.
- ‘Triumph’ oblate, faintly 4-sided; of small to medium size; skin yellowish to dark orange-red.
- Flesh yellowish-red, translucent, soft, juicy; seedless or with 5 to 8 seeds; astringent until fully ripe, then sweet.
- Of high quality.
- Medium-late.
- In Florida begins in September and lasts until mid-November.
Productive throughout the state including South Florida. ‘Yotsumizo’ Astringent D. kaki
Fig.45 | Fig.46 |
table>
Yokono’ Astringent
- D. kaki
- ‘Yokono’ is large, orange-red, astringent, of good quality; bears well but tends to shed fruit; keeps well.
- ‘Yomato Hyakume’
- D. kaki
Astringent – Mid Season Fig.49 ‘Yomato Hyakume’ is a pollination variant type, but will not have a great deal of dark flesh around the seeds. The fruit are large with a deep orange-red color. Concentric ring cracking often occurs. This cultivar is a heavy annual cropper with good fall leaf retention.
What are the side effects of persimmons?
Persimmon Side Effects: – Persimmon does not present any serious side effects when eaten in moderation. However, certain individuals may be allergic to these fruits and exhibit symptoms of upset stomach, nausea, or in grave circumstances, even an anaphylactic shock and must hence avoid eating persimmon.
How many persimmons can you eat a day?
Q. Why is it bad to eat too many persimmons? – A. Eating too many persimmons may lead to stomach problems. These include vomiting, nausea, constipation, gas, or intestinal blockages. This phenomenon happens as the stomach and intestines cannot digest that many persimmons simultaneously.
What Colour is a ripe persimmon?
HOW TO EAT HACHIYA PERSIMMONS – Ripe hachiya persimmons should have a deep orange color on the skin (almost red-orange). To see if the persimmon is ripe enough to eat, hold onto the fruit and press it gently with your thumb. It should feel as if the fruit is about to burst, like a very ripe plum. Sometimes, when the persimmon is very ripe, the skin will start tearing slightly, too. Peel off the calyx (leaf and stem portion). Then, use your thumbs to split the persimmon open into two halves. At this stage, I usually just slurp the fruit with my mouth. Because the fruit is very juicy, I recommend doing this over the sink or a bowl. You can also scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
Why does my mouth feel weird after eating persimmon?
Some persimmons can make your mouth feel weird because they contain tannins, which is a compound that can cause a puckering or drying sensation.
Can you pick persimmons early and let them ripen?
Astringent Fruits – Astringent persimmons often aren’t ready until somewhere between October and January. As with non-astringent types, you can harvest them before they are fully ripe, and ripen them off the tree. Astringent types are ready to harvest when they have changed to the expected mature color of the cultivar you are growing. If they are still unripe, you will need to ripen them before eating. The easiest way to determine ripeness is to make sure the color has changed from green to pinkish-red, and the fruit should be so soft that it nearly bursts when you touch it gently with your finger.
How do you ripen raw persimmons?
Answer – Persimmons will ripen and soften at room temperature or by wrapping the fruit in paper or a paper bag will increase the concentration of ethylene gas to enhance the ripening time. Once ripe, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Is persimmon healthier than apple?
Here’s some dietary advice you can take to heart. A persimmon a day does more to reduce the risk of heart disease – the leading cause of death in the United States – than an apple. A head-to-head comparison of the two fruits by an international group of researchers found persimmons contain significantly higher concentrations of dietary fiber, minerals and phenolic compounds – all instrumental in fighting atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.
- The study appears in the February 1 Web edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
- The monthly peer-reviewed journal is published by the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.
- This is the first comparative study of persimmons and apples that evaluates their anti-atherosclerosis capabilities, says lead researcher Shela Gorinstein, Ph.D., a research associate with the department of medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel.
The relatively high contents of fibers, phenolics, minerals and trace elements “make persimmon preferable for an anti-atherosclerotic diet,” Gorinstein and her colleagues concluded. A previous study by the researchers showed that persimmons improved lipid metabolism in rats.
- Many persimmons contained twice as much dietary fiber as apples.
- The peels of both fruits had higher fiber levels than the pulp or the whole fruit, according to the findings.
- Persimmons also contained more of the major phenolics (antioxidants) than apples.
- Persimmons had significantly higher levels of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese.
Apples had higher overall concentrations of copper and zinc. Eating one medium-sized persimmon (about 100 grams) a day is enough to help fight atherosclerosis, says Gorinstein. She is quick to add that other fruits also help guard against heart disease and urges people to include them in their diet as well.
- Persimmons, a very popular fruit in Israel, were chosen because they contain a “high percentage of polyphenols, especially tannins, which are very good antioxidants,” said Gorinstein.
- Other researchers involved in the study were from Jagiellonian University in Poland, the University of Lleida in Spain, the Kaplan Medical Center in Israel, and the Israeli Ministry of Health.
The persimmon tree, which produces the reddish-orange fruit, was first cultivated in China thousands of years ago, and is now grown in many countries. China, Japan, Brazil and Korea are the major producers. Israel, which has an expanding persimmon industry, grows a variety called Sharon Fruit.
Should persimmons be firm or soft?
Two Types Of Persimmons – Tony Smith, owner of Nursery Enterprises in Rexburg, Idaho, has extensive experience growing and eating persimmons. A fan of the fruit, Smith notes: “Some of the most nutritious, enjoyable, and exotic foods at the grocery store are fresh persimmons, Don’t let the mystique of persimmons intimidate you. You can easily grasp the concepts of how to eat them.” fuyu persimmon. stacy spensley / Flickr (creative commons) In the United States, there are generally two types of commercially available persimmons, and they are quite different:
Fuyus (non-astringent) are flat, round and best eaten while still firm, like an apple. Hachiyas (astringent) are elongated with a pointy tip and should only be eaten when fully ripe and quite soft.
Which persimmon is sweeter?
Suruga persimmon : Suruga persimmons have a spicy-sweet flavor. They are medium-to-large fruits with orange-red skin. They are one of the sweetest persimmons among non-astringent types.
Are there any poisonous persimmons?
PERSIMMON MUST BE FULLY RIPE Q. I am intrigued by the shape and color of persimmons, but how do you eat them? Their flavor is very pleasant, but they leave a residue in the mouth. Is there a correct way to prepare the fruit to avoid that? Also, I have heard that the skin of a persimmon should not be eaten.
Is it poisonous? A. There is nothing poisonous about a persimmon (Diospyros kaki), a fruit that originated in China. About 500 varieties are grown in the United States, but the plump, deep-orange, acorn-shaped Hachiya is cultivated most abundantly. The name “persimmon” comes from a bite-size fruit in the same genus that is native to America and was gathered and eaten by the Algonquins.
These so-called “wild persimmons” still grow in some parts of the Midwest. That unpleasant feeling in the mouth occurs only when eating under-ripe persimmons. Even a slightly underripe one can be mouth puckering, since the fruit contains a good amount of tannins.
- When buying a persimmon, look for one that feels very soft, almost like custard beneath the skin when you gently squeeze it.
- You can ripen persimmons at home by placing them in a paper bag with a banana or an apple to expose the fruit to ethylene fumes.
- They should take three to six days to fully ripen, and once ripe they must be eaten immediately.
One variety of persimmon, the tannin-free Fuyu, can be eaten at any stage of ripeness. It is flatter — almost tomato-shaped — and lighter in color than the ubiquitous Hachiya, and is sold in specialty markets, where it is sometimes called Sharon fruit.
- With their spicy, jamlike flesh, persimmons are a treat and require no special preparation.
- Give them a rinse before eating out of hand either unpeeled or peeled, or slicing into fruit salads.
- You can also puree the soft, sweet flesh and use it in cakes, quick breads, puddings, mousses, candies, fruit shakes, sorbets and ice cream.
Pureed persimmon can be frozen for up to six months, so if you have several fruit that ripen at the same time, save them. – MELISSA CLARK Sign up for email newsletters : PERSIMMON MUST BE FULLY RIPE
What is the disadvantage of eating persimmon?
And Warnings It has been used in clinical research without reported adverse effects. The fruit might cause allergic reactions in some people, but this is uncommon. Eating the fruit in very large amounts might cause blockage of the intestines.
How do you remove astringency from persimmons?
Abstract – The effects of two different freezing temperatures (− 20 °C and − 80 °C) on the astringency trait of persimmon fruits during 15 to 60 days of storage were investigated. The levels of soluble and insoluble tannins, proanthocyanidins and other physicochemical characteristics were evaluated.
Storage at − 20 °C and − 80 °C temperatures up to 60 days has been found to be an effective method to remove astringency of persimmon fruits. Proanthocyanidin concentration was negligible at both temperatures during storage. Total soluble solid contents were decreased as 3.34 from 4.59 (mg/g DW) whereas, insoluble tannin contents were increased as 20.30 from 16.45 (mg/g DW) by freezing temperatures treatment during storage.
Comparatively, higher soluble tannin content 11.68 (mg/g DW) and lower insoluble tannin content 10.02 (mg/g DW) was observed in control (day 0). Therefore, the astringency of persimmon fruits incubated at − 20 °C and − 80 °C was markedly reduced and after 15 up to 60 days of storage, the astringent taste virtually disappeared.
The proanthocyanidin contents were decreased as 0.02 from 0.52 (mg/g DW) at − 20 °C storage and 0.17 from 0.47 (mg/g DW) at − 80 °C storage, in comparison with the control 2.65 (mg/g DW). The moreover, along with the removal of astringency, other physicochemical parameters including color, pH, moisture content, total soluble solid, and sensory attributes were also conserved on freezing at both the temperatures.
These findings suggest that freezing temperature treatments aid the removal of astringency from persimmon fruits which could be used in different food preparations or as supplements.
Are there any poisonous persimmons?
PERSIMMON MUST BE FULLY RIPE Q. I am intrigued by the shape and color of persimmons, but how do you eat them? Their flavor is very pleasant, but they leave a residue in the mouth. Is there a correct way to prepare the fruit to avoid that? Also, I have heard that the skin of a persimmon should not be eaten.
- Is it poisonous? A.
- There is nothing poisonous about a persimmon (Diospyros kaki), a fruit that originated in China.
- About 500 varieties are grown in the United States, but the plump, deep-orange, acorn-shaped Hachiya is cultivated most abundantly.
- The name “persimmon” comes from a bite-size fruit in the same genus that is native to America and was gathered and eaten by the Algonquins.
These so-called “wild persimmons” still grow in some parts of the Midwest. That unpleasant feeling in the mouth occurs only when eating under-ripe persimmons. Even a slightly underripe one can be mouth puckering, since the fruit contains a good amount of tannins.
- When buying a persimmon, look for one that feels very soft, almost like custard beneath the skin when you gently squeeze it.
- You can ripen persimmons at home by placing them in a paper bag with a banana or an apple to expose the fruit to ethylene fumes.
- They should take three to six days to fully ripen, and once ripe they must be eaten immediately.
One variety of persimmon, the tannin-free Fuyu, can be eaten at any stage of ripeness. It is flatter — almost tomato-shaped — and lighter in color than the ubiquitous Hachiya, and is sold in specialty markets, where it is sometimes called Sharon fruit.
- With their spicy, jamlike flesh, persimmons are a treat and require no special preparation.
- Give them a rinse before eating out of hand either unpeeled or peeled, or slicing into fruit salads.
- You can also puree the soft, sweet flesh and use it in cakes, quick breads, puddings, mousses, candies, fruit shakes, sorbets and ice cream.
Pureed persimmon can be frozen for up to six months, so if you have several fruit that ripen at the same time, save them. – MELISSA CLARK Sign up for email newsletters : PERSIMMON MUST BE FULLY RIPE
Why can’t you eat the skin of a persimmon?
Persimmon peels are totally edible – Lokana/Shutterstock Maybe you’re used to peeling and discarding persimmon skin when making juicy persimmon pulp for an old-fashioned persimmon pudding, or when poaching the semi-firm slices in a robustly spiced syrup with cinnamon and star anise for a compote, as Martha Stewart recommends.
- You can bake them into pies, puddings, and cakes, or blend them into your favorite smoothies, but can you eat their taught peels, ranging in color from pale yellow to a deep, red-orange? The answer is yes, you can.
- If you’re dealing with a sweet Fuyu persimmon, all you have to do is rinse the fruit, remove the leaves, and slice it up as you would an apple.
If you’ve only got Hachiyas, otherwise known as bitter or astringent persimmons, you should wait until they ripen to the point where they become soft and ready to burst (via AllRecipes ). Then, simply cut the now-soft persimmon in half and scoop out its custard-like flesh with a spoon.
Are all persimmons the same?
Persimmon Varieties Persimmon Varieties In great contrast to the native American persimmon, Diospyros virginiana L., which has never advanced beyond the status of a minor fruit, an oriental member of the family Ebenaceae, D. kaki L., is prominent in horticulture.
- Perhaps best-known in America as the Japanese, or Oriental, persimmon, it is also called kaki (in Spanish, caqui), Chinese plum or, when dried, Chinese fig.
- Of the 2,000 cultivars known in China, cuttings of 52, from the provinces of Honan, Shensi and Shansi, were brought into the United States in 1914.J.
Russell Smith, an esteemed economic-geographer, collected a number of types near the Great Wall of China in 1925 and some of the trees still survive in his derelict orchard in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southern Virginia. Over 800 kinds are grown in Japan but less than 100 are considered important.
Among prominent cultivars are the non-astringent ‘Fuyu’, ‘Jiro’, ‘Gosho’ and ‘Suruga’; the astringent ‘Hiratanenashi’, ‘Hachiya’, ‘Aizumishirazu’, ‘Yotsumizo’ and ‘Yokono’. The Persimmon cultivars are divided into two categories, namely “Astringent and Non-astringent” persimmons. Astringent : Astringent cultivars have a taste that puckers the mouth, numbs the tongue, and constricts the throat.
This taste is caused by astringent substances such as tannins. The astringent taste is dominant in unripened bananas, unripe persimmons, and acorns, and it prevents them from being eaten (Figure 1). The compound which causes the astringent experience when eating persimmons has been found to be water-soluble tannin (kaki-tannin), which is located in tannin cells of the fruit.
When these cells burst in the chewing process, the tannin adsorbs to the protein on the tongue and gives a sensation of dehydration. Astringent fruit must be soft or artificially treated to remove astringency and make them suitable for eating. Non-astringent : Can be eaten even in it’s hard, orange stage as the tannin content is greatly reduced, the moment it turn from green to orange.
Non-astringent cultivars have lost their astringency by maturity and can be eaten crisp like an apple or at various stages of softness. Fig.1Nonastringent persimmon ‘Fuyu’ (left) and astringent ‘Hiratanenashi’ (right) ready-to-eat cultivars Each group can be further classified on their response to pollination into: pollination constant (no change in flesh color after pollination) and pollination variant (flesh is light color when seedless and dark when seeded, especially around the seed).
Pollination variant varieties (astringent when seedless): includes those that are astringent when they have several seeds, and partially or totally non-astringent when they have only one or a few seeds. The flesh is yellow when there are no seeds and dark when seeds are present (‘Rama Forte’, ‘Guiombo’, ‘Luiz de Queiroz’, ‘Hyakume’, ‘Chocolate’, etc.).
Pollination-constant types lack the dark streaking regardless of seed set. In astringent cultivars of the pollination-variant type, the dark flesh is nonastringent even when hard; therefore, seeded, pollination-variant astringent cultivars perform as nonastringent types.
The amount of dark flesh coloration around the seeds varies with cultivars. In most areas of the world, astringent pollination-variant types, which have a great amount of dark flesh, are classified as nonastringent cultivars. However, typically in Florida, these persimmons are grown without pollinators, and their seedless astringent fruit necessitates classifying them as astringent types.
Some dark specks can be found in the flesh of ‘Fuyu’ and other nonastringent cultivars. This is not linked to seed set and has no significance to the variant-constant classification system. Plantings of non-astringent persimmons can be made to include cultivars that will ripen fruit from late September to early December.
- The cultivars recommended seem to produce the highest percent of marketable fruit.
- Izu’ is the choice for the early season, ‘Matsumoto’ Wase’ for the mid-season, and ‘Fuyu’ for the late season.
- ‘Fuyu’ is the most readily available and is generally considered the best commercial non astringent cultivar in Florida.
‘ Chocolate ‘ Astringent When Seedless – Late Season D. lotus 200 hrs Small to medium-sized, oblong-conical fruit. Skin reddish orange. Flesh brown-streaked when pollinated, must be soft-ripe before eating. Ripens late October to early November. Tree large, vigorous, producing many male blossoms.
Recommended as a pollinator for pollination variant cultivars such as ‘Hyakuma’ and ‘Zenji Maru’. Choice of connoisseurs. Astringent type fruit develops sweet, spicy brown flesh when pollinized by another variety of Asian persimmon. Can be ripened off tree. The best pollinizer for the ‘Nishimura Wase’ is ‘Coffee Cake’ variety.
Named chocolate because this medium-sized Japanese type persimmon has a chocolaty-brown flesh that is extremely tasty and sweet.Ripens late October into early November. Climate Zones: 7 to 11 ‘Eureka’ Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki Fig.2 ‘Eureka’ has been widely propagated by southern nurseries and is a common cultivar in Texas. It has a large, round, flat-shaped, pollination variant fruit with a medium amount of dark flesh around the seed. Puckered at the calyx. Skin bright orange-red.
Fig.3 | Fig.4 |
table>
The ‘Fuyu’, also known as ‘Fuyugaki’ (“winter persimmon”), is the most popular non-astringent tree in Florida and is the most widely grown persimmon cultivar in the world. This large, round, flattened fruit has reddish-orange skin when ripe. It is weakly 4-sided and, with very few seeds.
The tree bears at a young age and is a heavy producer. Self fertile and pest free. The fruit is seedless and is excellent for fresh eating or cooking. Fruit thinning is usually necessary to ensure large fruit, prevent clustering and regulate crop loads. Incidence of fruit imperfections are low, yields are good, and the tree is generally well adapted.
Soluble solids average 18 to 19%. Many different cultivars with the name ‘Fuyu’ or ‘Fuyugaki’ exist. The best cultivar is the one commonly available in Florida. Harvest season is mid-November through early December. ‘Fuyu’ is highly recommended for north and north central Florida.
Pollination constant. From Fruit Varieties & Horticultural Digest, Vol.21(1), 1970, p.6: Medium-to-small size, oblate shaped fruit with attractive orange-red skin and non-astringent flesh. The flesh is deep orange and contains many small specks. ‘Fuyu’ is noted for its complete lack of astringency, even when firm.
From Persimmons for California, by Kay Ryugo, et al, California Agriculture, July-August 1988, p.9: The leaf isozyme patterns and fruit size and eating quality indicate that this cultivar is identical to the original cultivar ‘Fuyu’, widely grown in Japan.
- Trees tend to bear in alternate years, producing large quantities of small fruit in the “on” year and a modest crop of large fruit in the “off” year.
- In Japan, the crop is thinned early in the on year to obtain large fuit at harvest.
- The most popular non-astringent variety, but hardy to only 15° F.
- ‘ Gailey ‘ Astringent – Mid Season D.
kaki ‘Gailey’ is the standard pollinating cultivar and has small to medium size fruit. Concentric ring cracking is common and its pollination variant fruit are very dark-fleshed, even with small seed numbers. Fruit roundish to conical with a rounded apex. Fig.7 ‘Giombo’ is similar to ‘Saijo’ in fruit quality, although the fruit are much larger and begin ripening 2 weeks later. Fruit are light translucent orange and thin-peeled with a sweet, juicy, jelly type flesh. ‘Giombo’ fruit are a connoisseur’s choice. Fig.8 ‘Great Wall’ is a strong growing, upright tree having small 4-sided fruit. The flesh is dry, similar to ‘Tanenashi’, but of excellent quality. ‘Great Wall’ is small, flat, with fine black stripes extending from the calyx; astringent, a biennial bearer; does well in Florida. Hardy to 0° F.
- ‘ Hachiya ‘
- D. kaki
-
Astringent – Mid Season 200 hrs Fig.9 The Japanese ‘Hachiya’ persimmon tree is remarkably cold tolerant and vigorous in the South when grafted on native American persimmon. The Japanese ‘Hachiya’ produces delicious persimmon fruit that keeps very well when refrigerated.
- The ‘Hachiya’ often bears so much persimmon fruit that the limbs have to be propped up with bamboo poles.
- The ‘Hachiya’ has been dried in Japan for markets of delicious dried persimmon fruit.
- The variety most often found in stores.
- The 4″ long acorn shaped fruit is deep orange when ripe and very sweet and flavorful.
Astringent until ripened off the tree and eaten when soft. Doesn’t need a pollinizer. Oblong-conical, 3 3/4 in (9.5 cm) long, 3 1/4 in (8.25 cm) wide; skin glossy, deep orange-red; flesh dark-yellow with occasional black streaks. Seedless or with a few seeds.
Mid season to late. Tree well-formed and prolific in Kulu Valley, India. ‘Hachiya’ is a commercial cultivar in California. Ability to set and hold fruit is sometimes a problem if this cultivar is propagated onto Diospyros virginiana rootstock. The fruit are high quality and jelly-fleshed with an attractive red skin coloration.
Fruit will often have concentric ring cracking at the apical end and will ripen unevenly starting from these points. In Japan, ‘Hachiya’ is mostly used for drying. Climate Zones: 7 to 10 ‘Hanagosho’ Non Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki Fig.10 ‘Hanagosho’ ( “flower of the Imperial Palace”) is a large tree with vigorous upright growth and a strong scaffold system.
- The tree will usually have a small amount of male flowering every year and crop regulation is good.
- The fruit and leaves are slightly more susceptible to late season pathogens than most cultivars.
- Hanagosho’ is a large tree and a good homeowner cultivar.
- Hanagosho’ is of excellent quality but in Florida is slow in losing astringency and the tree is deficient in male flowers.
‘Hana Fuyu’ Non Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki Fig.11 ‘Hana Fuyu’, also known as ‘Yotsundani’, or ‘Giant Fuyu’, regulates crop loads well and is of medium vigor. The fruit are slightly larger than most, generally free of imperfections and may be slow to lose astringency.
- The tree is a good homeowner cultivar.
- It is self fruitful and the fruit tastes sweet with a fine flavor, even in the green stage! It is easy to grow either in hot, dry or cold climates.
- It also grows about twice the size of the regular ‘Fuyu’ persimmon.
- The skin reveals a bright red pulp that is delicious and aromatic.
The fruit is crunchy when ripe and is non-astringent.
- ‘Hana Fuyu’ is oblate, and usually seedless; late mid season; tree is small, bears regularly but yield is low; prone to premature shedding of fruit; fairly common in northern Florida.
- ‘ Hiratanenashi ‘
- D. kaki
Astringent – Mid Season
Fig.12 |
Hiratanenashi’ is a widely grown commercial cultivar in Japan. The fruit have a thick peel and a long shelf life. The flesh is juicy, somewhat watery and almost always seedless. The astringency is sometimes difficult to remove after the fruit have been harvested unless they are artificially treated. ‘Ichi Ki Kei Jiro’ Non Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki
Fig.13 | Fig.14 |
table>
Ichikikei Jiro’ is a bud sport from ‘Jiro’. The tree is comparatively smaller than most and regulates its crop loads well. It will mature seedless crops and is a good homeowner cultivar. Apical end splitting usually occurs in a percentage of the fruit.
The tree is around 7 days later than most cultivars to begin growing in the spring. This sometimes helps it to escape spring freeze injury. Harvest season is mid-October to mid-November. ‘Ichikikei Jiro’ is recommended for north and north central Florida. ‘Ichikikei Jiro’ is medium-large, oblate, orange, non-astringent; early-ripening; tree is not vigorous but still this cultivar is among the best of the non-astringent class in Florida.
Recommended for the Gulf Coast. Hardy to 0° F. ‘Izu’ Izu is a seedling of Fuyu x Okugosho. Non-Astringent – Early Season D. kaki 100 hrs
Fig.17 | Fig.18 |
table>
The earliest ripening of the good quality Asian persimmons, about three weeks before ‘Fuyu’. This is a non-astringent selection. It sets medium sized fruit on a dwarf tree. Very sweet, tasty, medium to large size, round shape. Relatively small tree, good choice for backyard persimmon.
Sometimes difficult to start from bareroot.100 hours. This is the best variety in areas where ripening is a problem. Self fertile. ‘Izu’ has the distinction of being the earliest ripening nonastringent cultivar. Tree vigor is very low, and it is not precocious. Fruit size is medium-large, and soluble solids average 16%.
Fruit shape is oblate, and a fair percentage of fruit show imperfections. Harvest season is late September through mid-November. ‘Izu’ is sometimes recommended due to early ripening. ‘Jiro’ Non-Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki 200 hrs
Fig.21 | Fig.22 |
table>
Pollination constant. From Persimmons for California, by Kay Ryugo, et al, California Agriculture, July-August 1988, p.9: This cultivar has also been propagated and sold as ‘Fuyu’ in California. ‘Jiro’ fruits are more truncated and squarish in cross-section than those of ‘Fuyu’.
Leaves of ‘Jiro’ trees, more so than ‘Fuyu’ leaves, appear chlorotic in the early spring, especially after a cold, wet winter. ‘Jiro’ is moderate in tree vigor. Cropping can be erratic when trees are young, but more consistent yield is produced on older trees. Fruit size is medium-large, soluble solids are 16%–19%, and fruit shape is oblate.
Some tip cracking on fruit may occur. Harvest season is mid-October through mid-November. ‘Jiro’ is recommended. Hardy to 0° F. ‘Maekawa Jiro’ Non-Astringent D. kaki 200 hrs
Fig.25 | Fig.26 |
table>
Round and flat with an orange skin and sweet mild flesh. It is a non-astringent type, great eaten while firm. Firm and crunchy with a sweet sugar cane like flavor. Doesn’t need a pollinizer. Needs a long hot summer to ripen reliably. A popular dooryard fruit and a handsome ornamental with drooping leaves and branches that give it a languid, rather tropical appearance.
Under mild autumn conditions the leaves often turn dramatic shades of yellow, orange and red. Tea can also be made from fresh or dried leaves.’Maekawa Jiro’, a bud sport of Jiro, is low to moderate in vigor. Fruit size is large, and fruit shape is oblate. There is some tendency for fruit to incur tip cracking.
Harvest season is mid-October to mid-November. ‘Makawa Jiro’ is not recommended for north and north central Florida. Climate Zones: 7 to 11 ‘Matsumoto Wase Fuyu’ Non Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki 200 hrs
Fig.29 | Fig.30 |
Matsumoto Wase Fuyu’ is an earlier ripening bud sport of ‘Fuyu’ discovered by Mr. Matsumoto. The tree sets many flowers and produces heavy clustered crops. The clusters should be thinned to prevent bent limbs with excessive fruit loads. Larger fruit are sometimes prone to calyx separation.
The tree is moderately vigorous and of medium size. Soluble solids range from 16% to 19%, which is generally true for most mid-season types. Fruit is medium in size and oblate in shape. There is little or no tendency for fruit to incur tip cracking. One of our favorites. Firm and crunchy with a sweet sugar cane like flavor.
Known for it’s early ripening, this is a good variety for short season areas. ‘Masumoto’ persimmon tree is a small grower, rarely exceeding 15 foot in height. Fruit ripens mid-October through mid-November.
- Climate Zones 7-9.
- ‘Midia’
- D. kaki
Non Astringent – Mid Season
Fig.31 |
Midia’ trees are moderate in vigor but are more susceptible to tree decline than most other Japanese persimmons. Fruit set and fruit retention until harvest are not consistently high. ‘Midia’ produces the largest fruit of any cultivar of nonastringent persimmon.
Fig.32 | Fig.33 |
The fruit from the ‘Nikita’s Gift’ hybrid persimmon tree is astringent until it is fully ripe much like one of the parents, the American persimmon, Diospyrous virginiana ; and the ripe stage color is orange-red and very sweet, a genetic inheritance from the Oriental persimmon parentage Diospyrous kaki,
The ripened fruit can be 3 inches long with a rather flattened shape that is attached to the twigs on the trees in large clusters when first formed, but thinning the fruit on the branches will increase the fruit’s size. Most outstanding persimmon trees that were growing in the past have been limited to the Southern U.S., but now ‘Nikita’s Gift’ from Yalta in the Ukraine has released this Russian hybrid persimmon that blends the color and flavor of the oriental persimmons D.
kaki with the cold hardiness and late ripening characteristics of the American persimmon to produce this hybrid that was licensed for growing in the U.S. by the Ukraine, formerly a Russian republic. ‘Nishimura Wase’ Astringent When Seedless – Early Season D.
Kaki Fig.34 ‘Nishumura Wase’ is an early cultivar, ripening its first fruit in early August. It is pollination variant and must be fully seeded to be non-astringent. It consistently sets male flowers. The fruit have soluble solids around 13% to 15% and are somewhat watery. The tree is well-spreading, somewhat vigorous and a good annual cropper.
The fruit is large and roundish. The tree is vigorous and easy to grow. It is called Coffee Cake for its rich flavor and brown flesh color when ripe. Unique spicy-sweet flavor that instantly evokes images of cinnamon pastry, hot coffee and morning sunshine.
Coffeecake™ ripens about the same time as Chocolate and about three weeks to one month earlier than ‘Fuyu’. It is a non astringent pollination variant which means it develops its rich sweet flavor best when it is pollinized. ‘Gosho’ and ‘Chocolate’ are the best pollinizers. Climate Zones: 7 to 10 ‘Ormond’ Astringent – Late Season D.
kak i Fig.35 ‘Ormond’ is sometimes called the Christmas persimmon. Fruit are long, conic and are often harvested in January. The tree begins growing early in the spring which increases chances for freeze injury. ‘Ormond’–oblong-conical, 2 5/8 in (6.5 cm) long, 1 7/8 in (4.7 cm) thick.
- Skin reddish-yellow with thin bloom; flesh orange-red, moderately juicy; seeds large.
- Very late.
- Eeps well.
- Often the last tree to finish ripening it’s fruit.
- The ‘Ormond’ persimmon tree is a vigorous mid size growing tree.
- With beautiful small sized long, fruits that hang in heavy clusters like grapes.
We harvest and serve them as in clusters for bite size snacks. Fabulous variety for central Florida. Fruit ripens December to January. Climate Zones 8-9. ‘Saijo’ Astringent – Early Season D. kaki Fig.36 ‘Saijo’ ( “the very best one”) is considered one of the sweetest persimmons although traces of astringency sometimes remain when the fruit is soft.
Fruit ripen early to mid-season and are relatively small with a long conic shape, and a translucent orange jelly type flesh. Soluble solids range from 16 to 22%. The large, upright, vigorous tree is capable of producing heavy yields. It is a good homeowner type. ‘Saijo’ fruits are like small orange plum shapes balls of honey.
Free of seeds and a consistent bearer. The ‘Saijo’ persimmon tree is a large, upright grower, makes a good small shade tree. One of the first persimmon fruits of the season, starting in September, and continuing into October. Climate Zones 7-9. Skin resists cracking.
Dries and stores well. Astringent – Mid Season D. kaki Fig.37 ‘Sheng’ is a well spreading tree with large fruit having six lobed sections looking somewhat like a 4 or 6 leaf clover from the top. Fruit have a high jelly content, are bright orange, and when pollinated will set many seed. The most beautiful persimmon of all! Shaped just like a miniature pumpkin.
The fruit is flat, and is ribbed and tucked in around the calyx. Flavor is spicy sweet. The ‘Sheng’ persimmon tree is a medium sized tree, bearing good crops consistently. The tree has some cold tolerance. Fruit ripens mid September through mid October. Climate Zones 6-9.
- ‘Shogatsu’
- D. kaki
- ‘Shogatsu’ is similar to ‘Hanogosho’ in tree habit, however, more problems with fruit end splitting and leaf spots occur.
Non-Astringent – Mid Season Fig.38 ‘Shogatsu’ is flattened, non-astringent, of fair quality; bears an abundance of male flowers. Does well in Florida. ‘Suruga’ Seedling of Hanagosho x Okugosho Non-Astringent – Late Season D. kaki 200 hrs
Fig.39 | Fig.40 |
table>
Suruga’ (distributed in 1959); orange-red, non-astringent, very sweet, keeps well. ‘Suruga’ is the sweetest of the non-astringent types with soluble solids often 18- 21%. Red coloration in mature fruit is strong, and fruit imperfections are fairly common.
Fig.43 |
Introduced from China in 1905, again in 1916 (S.P.I. Nos.16912, 16921, 26773). Broad oblate, somewhat 4-sided; indented around the middle or closer to the base; 3 to 5 in (7.5-12.5 cm) wide; skin thick, orange-red; flesh light-orange, usually astringent until fully ripe, then sweet and rich.
In some parts of China and Japan said to be non-astringent. Seedless or nearly so. Of medium quality; late (Nov.) in Florida; midseason in California. Was being grown commercially in North Carolina and at Glen St. Mary, Florida, in 1916. ‘Tamopan’ is a cultivar with large fruit that is juicy, watery and stringy, with a thick peel.
More than one cultivar of this tree exists, some of which have better fruit than the one described.
- ‘Tanenashi’
- D. kaki
Astringent – Mid Season 200 hrs Fig.44 ‘Tanenashi’ or ‘Tananashi’, which means seedless (seed in Japanese=tane). Oval, 4-5″, skin light yellow or orange, inside dark orange-red, eaten soft (=astringent), very sweet, seedless, vigorous tree, prolific. Leading cultivar in SE USA.
- The ‘Tanenashi’ Persimmon produces all male flowers, so that the sweet delicious fruit when ripe is seedless.
- The astringent character of the ‘Tanenashi’ Persimmon can be avoided if the fruit is fully ripe and soft after picking from the tree.
- The Southeastern U.S.
- Was planted into huge acreages of Japanese ‘Tanenashi’ Persimmon Trees, where the trees will produce fruit reliably every year, but in California the ‘Tanenashi’ cultivar tends to bear in alternate years.
Productive throughout Florida. ‘Tanenashi’, the most popular astringent cultivar in Florida, matures heavy crops without pollination and will seldom set seed even if pollinated. It is usually desirable to thin the fruit to obtain some vegetative growth during the year.
- The fruit, often large, 3½” across, can weigh over ¾ of a pound.
- Skin color is deep yellow to orange when mature.
- Flesh is orange, pasty, comparatively dry, and of acceptable quality.
- Soluble solids average 16%.
- Harvest duration may extend from September through November.
- It is a good tree for homeowners.
Fruits are similar to ‘Hachiya’ but very slow to lose astringency. Popular in Japan. Thick skin, tends to be seedless. ‘Thriumph’ Astringent D. virginiana Native American Persimmon. Smaller, 2-3″ fruit, astringent, doesn’t need cold to bloom, eaten soft. A plum-like berry that is green before ripening, turning orange to black when ripe, 3/4 to 2 inches in diameter.
- Cold hardy.
- ‘Triumph’ oblate, faintly 4-sided; of small to medium size; skin yellowish to dark orange-red.
- Flesh yellowish-red, translucent, soft, juicy; seedless or with 5 to 8 seeds; astringent until fully ripe, then sweet.
- Of high quality.
- Medium-late.
- In Florida begins in September and lasts until mid-November.
Productive throughout the state including South Florida. ‘Yotsumizo’ Astringent D. kaki
Fig.45 | Fig.46 |
table>
Yokono’ Astringent
- D. kaki
- ‘Yokono’ is large, orange-red, astringent, of good quality; bears well but tends to shed fruit; keeps well.
- ‘Yomato Hyakume’
- D. kaki
Astringent – Mid Season Fig.49 ‘Yomato Hyakume’ is a pollination variant type, but will not have a great deal of dark flesh around the seeds. The fruit are large with a deep orange-red color. Concentric ring cracking often occurs. This cultivar is a heavy annual cropper with good fall leaf retention.