Best way to deal with this dying persimmon?

I unwrapped my persimmon yesterday and can declare it a great fiasco. All the branches look completely dead, and dry to the core. The trunk still has some green in scratch test, but goes from bright green on rootstock to dead after first branch. The tree is Ichi-Ki-Kei-Jiro from Stark’s(or at least bought as it). It is grafted on unknown rootstock and it may be even interstem graft, as far as I can tell by looking on it. The tree was growing very well, but didn’t want to go into dormancy, the leaves fall after the first frost only, before they were absolutely green, like tropical plant.
This is what I think is interstem:

Here are some pictures:


Green on interstem(?) after first graft:

Somewhat green after interstem(?)

Pale(dead?) after first branch

completely dead higher up

I see several way to deal with this tree.

  1. Pull it out and buy a new one from different source. Only one I can find is “ediblelandscaping.com

  2. Cut it low to live wood hooping it would bounce back. But I need to figure out if what I think is “interstem” is actually interstem, because above it there is no much to keep and chances I guess are low. Also I am not sure it is really Ichi-Ki-Kei-Jiro judging by the way how it “survived” the winter with good protection.

  3. Cut it low to rootstock and try to graft. Is it too late to get scion wood now? Do I need to keep the interstem if it is interstem? And where I can get scion wood?

Galina,

Don’t have any answer for you but will you be able to call Stark’s and find out what they actually sent you and why there was a need for interstem?

Maybe, you could ask to speak with someone there with horticultural background, not just an phone operator?

I uncovered my NG this morning. It looks OK. No died back (yet).

I tried to call them before… On a different topic. They didn’t have answer. The answer actually was - we have different rootstocks and we can’t tell what we sent to you. With the persimmon, it was labeled correctly. I just don’t understand why it is completely dead when it has to be hardy to -10 F and we didn’t even had that temperature this winter even outside, forget about the cover… . Most of complains or questions Stark’s considers as replacement request and they replace it just fine. The thing is I do not want any more trees from them, even if it is free.

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I got similar experience with persimmon from Starks. My Ichi-Ki-Kei-Jiro died few years ago and I do not think that the Sajio I got from them is true to name.

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If you do get a new one, you might consider Rosseyanka, Kassandra, or another hardy hybrid. You won’t have to worry about the protection (or persimmon sudden death of Kaki on American rootstock) and you’ll still get great tasting persimmons.

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Are they non-astringent type? I don’t like jello-like persimmons , I like them hard. It also has to be a dwarf, as I have very limited space…

No hybrid non-astringents yet. They are compact trees, though, and you could probably use some of the techniques people have mentioned in the past to remove astringency.

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It’s very common for new planted persimmons to die back. Persimmons also like good drainage. From your pictures, I don’t think that is interstem. It is great the grafted part is still alive. If I were you, I just leave it alone and wait till new shoots come out.
The established plant is better than the new one. Even dying back, the new suckers can grow very fast, six feet in one year. If you doubt about interstem, you can graft one now. It’s not too late to get scion. My ichy just breaks dormancy and shows a little greenish. It is still good for grafting.

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Galinas,
I had the same experience recently with a Ichi-Ki-Kei-Jiro I bought from Plant Me Green. All the branches have now lost their leaves and appear to be drying up. The main stem still looks healthy. I ordered a package of Diehard from the nursery as recommended to help the roots recover from shock. I am waiting for the root booster to arrive.
Dennis

Mine actually survived. Three buds just a little above graft union survived after winter 2017-2018 and for last year it grew 5’ tall and branched. I had it protected this winter with insulation and heat lamp on thermostat at 32F. So far so good.

I would like to show you and others a picture of one of my failed rootstocks from last year but I cannot seem to paste a copy of my pic with my comments. How can I post pictures like yours.
Dennis

Success,

I will keep mine in a separate free draining container so I can water weekly and keep watch to see if I have the same luck once I get the Diehard packet and can replant it.

I had a new Giant Fuyu persimmon-that grew thru last years growing season, looking very healthy, but this spring it failed to open buds, so I dug it up, replanted it in a separate container, and just kept watering it. The mystery here is that although there are some fresh green shoots coming back below the graft, there also appears to b a new tree growing that has Fuyu type leaves about 8” from the main stem of the original grafted tree. Let me know how to understand what this newly emerging tree may be. Is it possible that the grafted portion of the rootstock has converted to regrow the Giant Fuyu?

See pic? You can see the dead grafted tree on the left, with green shoots below the graft, and the new mystery tree on the right.
Also can you please tell me how you posted pics on the website?

Thanks for your message.

Sent from my iPad

image1.jpeg

You need to upload picture, not paste it

Thanks I got it,