American Persimmon ( Diospyros virginiana )
Two Promising Fruit Plants for Northern Landscapes (pdf) by EDWARD GOODELL of the Arnold Arboretum in Boston in the late 1980s. This was an article in the publication Arnoldia, pages 103-133. Discussion of Persimmons and Kiwis as viable alternative commercial crops in the northeast. Persimmon discussion begins on page 104.
Persimmon possibilities in Maine. – Jesse Stevens
Jesse Stevens: “Meader” is said to be the hardiest and has been successful and productive in a few locations, including Buckfield (?). “Szukis” has grown well and ripened in most years in Falmouth. “Yates”, “Early Jewel” and “Early Golden” all seem like likely candidates.
October 2019:
Andy Roberts: Local persimmon people, I’m down in the New Hampshire Seacoast Region, and this is the first year our 7 year old Meader persimmon has borne significant fruit. So I have a newbie harvest question…
When is the best time to harvest these fruits? On the tree right now are some fruits that are bright orange and mushy, while others remain hard and greenish. The bright orange ones are still a little astringent right off the tree, but ease up after a day on the kitchen counter. I’ve seen lots of pictures of persimmon trees full of fruit after leaf drop, but I’m worried I’ll miss out if I wait that long. Any advice?
Also, any suggestions on books or articles about persimmon biology? I need to better understand these trees!
Meghan Giroux: Once they drop from the tree and you can easily pull the calyx away from the fruit, the fruit is generally ripe.
