When is the fruit ready to eat?

The fruit is ready when it is soft, wrinkled, and has turned a deep orange or purplish color.

Do I need two trees for fruit?

Yes, because the trees are dioecious, meaning you need both a male and a female tree for pollination.

Guide botanique

American persimmon.

Diospyros virginiana

Prononciation dy-OS-pih-ros vir-jin-ee-AY-nah

Aussi appelée American persimmon, Eastern Persimmon, Simmon, Sugar-plum, Sugarplum, common persimmon, persimmon, possum apples

The American persimmon is a lovely native tree known for its sweet, edible orange fruit that ripens in late autumn. It has a graceful, rounded canopy and provides great habitat for local wildlife. You will love watching its unique, blocky bark develop as the tree matures.

En un coup d'œil

Niveau d'entretien: Facile
Type de plante: Deciduous tree
Lumière: Full sun to partial shade
Lumière en intérieur: Soleil direct
Arrosage: Tous les 7 à 14 jours
Taille adulte: 30 to 60 feet
Croissance: Moyenne
Rusticité: USDA 4 à 9
Floraison: Late spring to early summer

Entretien

Plant this tree in a spot with plenty of sun to ensure the best fruit production. Keep an eye on soil moisture during the first few years, but it becomes quite hardy once established. Watch for leaf spot or wilt if the tree seems stressed.

Arrosage: Water deeply during dry spells while the tree is young to help it establish a strong root system.
Engrais: Apply a balanced fertilizer once in early spring before new growth begins.
Taille: Prune during the dormant winter season to remove dead wood and maintain a healthy shape.
Rempotage: This is a large tree meant for outdoor planting and is not suitable for container life long term.
Sol: Well-draining, loamy, or sandy soil
pH du sol: 6.0 to 7.5
Température: -30 à 38°C
Humidité: 40 à 70%
Résistance à la sécheresse: Moyenne
Durée de vie: Perennial, typically 50 to 75 years
Parfum: Léger
Résistance aux chevreuils et lapins: Moyenne

Signes qu'il faut rempoter

Roots growing out of the drainage holes
Stunted growth during the active season

Sécurité

Humains: The plant is generally considered non-toxic, though the unripe fruit is highly astringent.
Enfants: The fruit is safe for children to eat once fully ripe and soft, but they should be taught to avoid hard, green fruit.
Allergènes de contact: The bark and leaves are not known to cause skin irritation.
Allergènes aéroportés: The pollen may cause mild respiratory discomfort for sensitive individuals during the flowering season.
Comestibilité: Unripe fruit contains high levels of tannins that cause an extremely astringent, drying sensation in the mouth.

Comment l'identifier

Blocky, dark gray, alligator-like bark
Simple, alternate, oval-shaped leaves
Sweet, orange, fleshy edible fruit
Drooping, bell-shaped, greenish-yellow flowers

Hauteur: 9 à 18m
Envergure: 6 à 10m
Feuilles: dark green, yellow, deciduous
Fleurs: creamy white, pale yellow, 1 à 2cm
Fruits: orange, purplish, Autumn

Problèmes courants

Persimmon psyllid — Small insects that cause leaf curling and gall formation.
Leaf spot — Fungal infections that create dark spots on foliage during wet seasons.

La cultiver

Multiplication: seed, cuttings, grafting
Quand planter: spring, autumn
Hivernage: The tree is fully hardy and requires no special winter protection once established.
En pot: It is not well suited for long term container growth due to its deep taproot.

Seed

1. Clean the seeds of all fruit pulp.
2. Stratify seeds in a refrigerator for 60 to 90 days.
3. Plant in pots in early spring.

Plant in a sunny spot with well draining soil to ensure the best fruit production.

Bonnes associations

Gainier du Canada — They share similar soil preferences and provide a beautiful color contrast in the spring.
Prunus americana — Both species thrive in similar woodland edge conditions.

Espèces similaires

Japanese Persimmon — It is a related species often grown for larger, sweeter fruit.

Science

Famille: Ebenaceae
Genre: Diospyros
Ordre: Ericales
Classe: Magnoliopsida
Région d'origine: Eastern and central United States.
Préservation: This species is widespread and not of conservation concern.

It thrives in open woods and old fields, often colonizing disturbed sites through its extensive root system.

Intérêt pour la faune: nectar source, provides fruit for birds and mammals
Pollinisateurs: abeilles
Utilisations: edible fruit, ornamental shade tree, woodworking, wildlife habitat

Au fil des saisons

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Floraison

Fructification

Feuillage

Repères écologiques

Salinité: 2/9
Réaction du sol: 5/9
Lumière: 7/9
Température: 6/9
Humidité: 5/9
Nutriments: 4/9

Taxonomie vérifiée avec le GBIF.

Ce qu'on demande souvent

When is the fruit ready to eat?: The fruit is ready when it is soft, wrinkled, and has turned a deep orange or purplish color.
Do I need two trees for fruit?: Yes, because the trees are dioecious, meaning you need both a male and a female tree for pollination.

D'où vient le nom

The genus name Diospyros comes from Greek meaning fruit of the gods, while the species name virginiana refers to the Virginia colony where it was first documented by Europeans.

Bon à savoir

Persimmon fruit becomes sweet only after the first frost.
The scientific name translates to fruit of the gods.
It is a member of the ebony family.
The tree often forms thickets through root suckering.
The fruit is a favorite snack for opossums and raccoons.

Ta plante a mauvaise mine ?

Cette page est un guide général. Pocket Botanist diagnostique les problèmes directement à partir d'une photo de ta plante, adapte l'arrosage à sa luminosité et te prévient quand il faut t'en occuper.

Télécharger l'appli

Ce guide a été généré par IA et vérifié avec la taxonomie du GBIF. Il s'agit d'informations générales, et non de conseils horticoles ou vétérinaires. Découvre comment nous concevons ces guides.