Patience with Persimmons Pays Off with Big Bucks!
Persimmons are often referred to as Deer Candy being highly attractive for taste and nutrition, dropping from late August thru November depending on variety.
As for nutritional composition, the fruits contain 26 to 4 percent sugar and are high in carbohydrates, starches, iron, phosphorous, potassium and vitamin C. They are low in protein, fat, and calcium. They provide a delicious and efficient high energy snack that will help deer build body reserves for winter.
Native American Persimmons are dioecious (meaning male and female plants), so when you have several trees not producing fruit they are either not mature enough (females usually reach sexual maturity at 6 to 10 years) or your male/female ratio is off.
You can determine the sex of a tree in the spring when it is flowering. female persimmons have single flowers on each petiole or stalk and male trees have multiple flowers per stalk.
Native plants create sustainable ecosystems perfectly matched to their location and the creatures that live within the ecosystem's boundaries. Natives are typically less expensive and easier to grow which is the real attraction and make the best backbone to any natural habitat.
Most of us don't want to wait the time it takes for these trees to reach sexual maturity to produce and that is the beauty of the Grafted Persimmons, that can produce in as little as 2 to 5 yrs. depending on environment. Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion while the lower part is called the root stock. All our Grafted Persimmons, both American and Oriental or "Kaki" are grafted on Native American root stock.
Most Grafted Persimmons are self-fertile meaning they can produce on their own, however it is always better to have at least two different varieties planted within pollinating distance to up your pollination and production. The main difference between the Kaki and American is that the Kaki's tend to hold their fruit and the American's will drop theirs, making it easier for any wildlife to enjoy.
You do need to be patient with Persimmons as they break dormancy by heat units, not chill hours. When first planted, they go into shock much more than other fruit, and it's not uncommon for some varieties to take until August to leaf out the first year. If you order bare root persimmons do not be surprised by their black roots, that is their natural color.
We will be shipping Persimmons bare root and dormant, winter/spring. Please check your USDA growing zone to make certain you are ordering the correct variety for your area. The Early and Late Drop Grafted American Female Persimmons are recommended for food plots in zones 5 - 9. The Orientals are a little less cold hardy, we recommend Saijo, Sheng and Great Wall up to zone 6 and all other varieties for zones 9 to 7 both for human consumption and tree plots.
We can also ship containerized 2 yr. old Persimmons, as well as Pears and Dunstan Chestnuts by the pallet, FedEx freight, please call or email our office for details.
Chestnut Hill Outdoors - 800-669-2067 - chestnuthilloutdoors@gmail.com For more information about Chestnut Hill Outdoors, please visit www.chestnuthilloutdoors.com.
