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.

Plant guide

American persimmon.

Diospyros virginiana

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

Also known as 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.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Deciduous tree
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 30 to 60 feet
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer

Care

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.

Watering: Water deeply during dry spells while the tree is young to help it establish a strong root system.
Feeding: Apply a balanced fertilizer once in early spring before new growth begins.
Pruning: Prune during the dormant winter season to remove dead wood and maintain a healthy shape.
Repotting: This is a large tree meant for outdoor planting and is not suitable for container life long term.
Soil: Well-draining, loamy, or sandy soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -30 to 38°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 50 to 75 years
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

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

Safety

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

How to identify it

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

Height: 9 to 18m
Spread: 6 to 10m
Leaves: dark green, yellow, deciduous
Flowers: creamy white, pale yellow, 1 to 2cm
Fruit: orange, purplish, Autumn

Problems to watch for

Leaf SpotCommon
Persimmon PsyllidCommon
CankerUncommon
Leaf ScorchUncommon
Root RotUncommon
Scale InsectsUncommon
Verticillium WiltUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed, cuttings, grafting
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: The tree is fully hardy and requires no special winter protection once established.
In containers: 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.

Grows well with

Eastern Redbud · They share similar soil preferences and provide a beautiful color contrast in the spring.
Wild Plum · Both species thrive in similar woodland edge conditions.

Similar species

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

Science

Family: Ebenaceae
Genus: Diospyros
Order: Ericales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Eastern and central United States.
Conservation: 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.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, provides fruit for birds and mammals
Pollinators: bees
Uses: edible fruit, ornamental shade tree, woodworking, wildlife habitat

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 6/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 4/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

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.

Where the name comes from

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.

Good to know

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.

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.