American Persimmon
Diospyros virginiana
A native tree with blocky alligator-hide bark and sweet orange autumn fruit that is astringent until fully ripe. Dioecious, so only female trees fruit; root-suckers into thickets and prized by wildlife.
Field reference
Family
Ebenaceae
Growth rate
Slow
Mature size
35–60 ft tall, 20–35 ft spread
Hardiness zone
4–9
Soil preference
Adaptable — tolerates dry, sandy, clay, and bottomland soils
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Pruning window
Dormant season (late winter)
Wood properties
Very hard, dense, shock-resistant wood (~0.64 SG) — a true ebony relative once used for golf-club heads. Strong limbs; deep taproot anchors well but complicates transplanting.
Native range
Eastern and central United States, Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas
Green weight
63 lb/ft³
Common questions
Why is my persimmon fruit so bitter?
American persimmon is intensely astringent until it is fully soft and ripe, usually after the first frosts. Tree-ripened, jelly-soft fruit is sweet; anything firm will pucker your mouth.
Why doesn't my persimmon set fruit?
The species is typically dioecious — individual trees are male or female — so a lone male, or a female with no male nearby, will not produce a usable crop. You generally need both for reliable fruit.
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