American Persimmon is a moderate growing tree and fruit bearing plant that can be grown in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5A through 9B. It matures to an average height of 30 feet to 40 feet and an average width of 20 feet to 30 feet, depending on climate and other environmental factors. It prefers growing in a location that provides full sun and grows best when planted in sand, loam, clay or silt soil that is well drained. In the spring American Persimmon produces yellow flowers. The foliage is dark green in color. It attracts wildlife and is resistant to drought and heat.

American Persimmon can be useful in the landscape in landscape beds or islands and also in cottage gardens.

Need help choosing the right varieties of Persimmon trees?

This is the fun part. There are lots of selections of Persimmon trees, each with their own  flavor, ripening time, and more. What really determines the type you should choose is how you want to use them. Most are good for snacking. Others are great for making jam, jelly, and preserves. So do a little homework, and click on the link below to use the Persimmon Tree Information Sheet to help make your selections.

Click here to use the Persimmon Tree Information Sheet to select the right varieties for your needs

More about the American Persimmon Tree...

The American persimmon is a deciduous native tree from Connecticut to Kansas south to Florida and Texas. It grows from 30-60 feet in height. Fragrant, white to greenish-yellow flowers bloom in late spring, with the male flowers appearing in clusters and the female flowers appearing solitary.

Edible persimmon fruits (1-2” in diameter) mature in fall to an orange to reddish-purple color, and may persist on the tree into winter. Persimmon fruit is quite astringent (stringy) when green, but upon ripening becomes deliciously sweet and may be eaten off the tree. Fruits are commonly used in syrups, jellies, ice creams or pies, and are a delicacy to deer. If you don;t plant a persimmon to eat the fruit yourself, plant one for our deer friends, oh, and possums too!

American persimmon is one of the easiest trees to identify in winter because of its distinctive thick, dark gray bark that is broken into rectangular blocks. Ovate to elliptic leaves (2-6” long) are glossy dark green above, and turn yellowish-green (infrequently reddish purple) in autumn. Persimmon leaves can be used to make teas. Persimmon is a member of the ebony family so the wood is extremely hard and has been used to make golf club heads, billiard cues and shoe lasts.

Persimmons are easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. They have a somewhat wide range of soil tolerance, but prefers moist, sandy soils. They are exceptionally drought tolerant  when established. Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized effect is desired.