Persimmon
Diospyros kaki / Diospyros virginiana
Also known asJapanese persimmon · American persimmon · Kaki · Sharon fruit · Date plum
Environment
The bounded range this crop tolerates.
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 4–10 (winter low around -34°C)
- Frost
- very hardy (survives deep cold)
- Season
- warm (summer, frost-sensitive)
Growing systems
Root mass: very heavy. Thin-channel systems can't hold this crop.
Growing media
| Medium | pH effect | Retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies | high | high |
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights. EC targets shift through the plant's life.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.7 |
| vegetative | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1.3 |
| flowering | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1.4 |
| fruiting | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1.4 |
Companion-growing notes
- High transpiration. Regular reservoir top-ups needed during fruiting.
Aquaponics suitability
Not recommended
Fish waste alone doesn't supply enough of what this crop demands. Grows in hybrid systems with supplemental dosing, but expect active management.
Care notes
A fruit tree for outdoor aquaponics integration in temperate to warm climates. Container growing (50 L) or in-ground. EC 1.5-2.5 mS/cm. pH 6.0-7.5. Temperature: adaptable (D. kaki is hardy to zone 7; D. virginiana to zone 4). Full sun (DLI 18-25 mol/m2/day). Chilling requirement: 200-500 hours. Most Asian persimmon varieties are self-fertile (a single tree produces fruit). Fruiting begins at 3-5 years from grafted stock. Each mature tree produces 15–50 kg of fruit. Persimmon trees are nearly pest and disease free, requiring less management than apples, peaches, or cherries. For astringent types (Hachiya): harvest when fully colored but still firm, then ripen indoors until completely soft (the flesh should be jelly-like). Eating an unripe astringent persimmon is a memorable and unpleasant experience. For non-astringent types (Fuyu): harvest when fully orange and eat at any firmness. Dried persimmon (hoshigaki) is made by peeling firm fruit, hanging by the stem in a dry, airy location, and massaging periodically over 4-6 weeks.
Notable varieties
| Cultivar | Type | Days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuyu (Asian, non-astringent) | open pollinated | 1460 | 1214 Japanese cultivar, the standard non-astringent persimmon, what US supermarkets sell as 'persimmon' since 1990s. Flat orange tomato-shaped fruit, eat firm like an apple. Zones 7-10. Self-fertile. The variety to plant if you want to eat persimmons without learning the ripeness rules. |
| Hachiya (Asian, astringent) | open pollinated | 1460 | Astringent cultivar, large heart-shaped orange fruit, MUST be eaten fully soft (jelly-textured) or it's inedible. Zones 7-10. The traditional Japanese hoshigaki (dried persimmon) variety. Same astringent compounds (tannins) in Hachiya as in unripe Fuyu, soft ripening transforms them. |
| American common (D. virginiana) | open pollinated | 1825 | The eastern US native, zones 4-9, hardy to -25C. Small (3-5 cm) orange fruit, very sweet when fully ripe (after frost), the basis for Southern persimmon pudding and Indiana persimmon festivals. Mostly dioecious so need both male and female trees unless you have a self-fertile cultivar. |
| Saijo (Asian, astringent) | open pollinated | 1460 | Older Japanese astringent cultivar, very cold-hardy for a kaki (zone 6-7). Elongated yellow-orange fruit. Considered one of the best-flavored astringent persimmons, often called the 'best persimmon in Japan' before Fuyu commercialization. Self-fertile. |
| Nikita's Gift (hybrid) | open pollinated | 1460 | Ukrainian hybrid (D. kaki × D. virginiana), Nikita Botanical Garden 1979. Zones 5-9, the most cold-hardy large-fruited persimmon. Mid-sized round red-orange fruit, astringent until soft. Self-fertile. The Kaki-experience for cold-climate growers. |