Neighbor has a older persimmon tree, around 12 years old, fruits every year, no winter damage. Tree is not very tall, 9/10 feet tall. Taste? Just like a regular American variety, sweet, not bad tasting. Best of all
Winter Hardy, good for rootstock also. Bad part? 5 seeds, rather small fruit.
25 Likes
Very cool! I’ve occasionally come across some blue fruits, but none as blue as those.
3 Likes
They look great !
1 Like
There are a few blue ones out there. John Hersey Blue is one that comes to mind. I think Cliff England may have a few native blues as well. But as cool as they look, I’ve never heard anyone rave about their size, flavor, or other attributes.
5 Likes
Wonder if that blue baby would be seedless in northern zones? You might have something then.
2 Likes
That would likely be Diospyros Texana aka the southwestern persimmon. Characteristics include blue/black flesh and skin colors. Interesting aside, there is a blue/black persimmon growing on a side street in Fort Payne Alabama. I don’t know if it is “Texana” or the more common 60 chromosome type for this area.
3 Likes
Not texana as the fruit are black inside as well and taste like licorice
7 Likes
I’ve encountered an occasional blue persimmon here in western KY. Never found one that encouraged me to eat more than one fruit.
4 Likes
These are so neat. I’d buy these in a heartbeat just to try them. And then dream about growing them in my garden since fruit doesn’t do very well where I am.
2 Likes
A follow up , a picture I took of the tree, taller than 10 feet… pick a few more to taste, sweet and strong tasting not a lot of juice. The wild ones on my property are a little more juicy but same tasting.
6 Likes
Never saw those before they are fascinating. Hope you remember to get you some grafting wood.
2 Likes
Clark, how are you doing, hope things straightened out for you.get well soooooon.
2 Likes
Wow, I’ve never seen those! 
Crazy! Would love some seeds just as a novel curiosity!
1 Like
So, when people say the blue fruit is sweet, do you mean that it is sweet before the persimmon gets squishily ripe? Sweet when the fruit is still apple-crunchy?
You are referring to the difference between astringent vs non astringent persimmon. Basically all American/Common Persimmon (Diospyros Virginiana) are astringent type (Morris Burton may be debatable), meaning though they may be sweet, you need to wait for the tannins to breakdown by waiting till they are soft (or accelerate tannin breakdown artificially through CO2 or some other mechanism). You can eat them still hard, and while they will taste sweet, they will also be very tannic/astringent/fuzzy mouthfeel.
Also, there are two different species being discussed in this thread. The Diospyros Texana is a blue/black skin persimmon with blue/black flesh. It’s about 1 inch in size, like a berry. The one pictured with orange flesh cut open is D. Virginiana. The blue/black skin is simply a morph. They don’t fundamentally taste or behave differently than the “regular” D. Virginiana.
I was just sent some blue skinned D. Virgiana fruit, picked from Don Compton’s place. @jcguarneri @luxin Most of them are heavily seeded but that’s probably because Don has so many persimmon trees. They are ok imo. As @SMC_zone6 noted, they still fall behind the D. Virginiana x Kaki hybrids like Nikita’s Gift in flavor, size, texture, etc…
7 Likes
My location is marginal for lotus but I’m bringing it up because I grow it here without winter die back. I’m interested in blue fruit in general but lotus is said to always have it. Mine are all males Lotus persimmon buds . I’ve never see an American or any other with blue fruit.
There is also a 3rd generation hybrid variety with fruit that turn blue or black called ÄŚuÄŤupaka.