Hi! My name is Liz and am new to this forum in zone 9 Louisiana. After discovering how delicious persimmons are, I have been trying to do some research on the different varieties, hoping to grow some here in southern Louisiana. The Cardinal variety seems interesting, being promoted as the earliest one! Does anyone have any experience as to the taste and/or ripening date of this variety? Is anyone growing persimmons in a similar climate? Would appreciate any and all advice.
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I have not read this thread myself but you likely weren’t able to find it with a search since the search function got thrown off by the inclusion of the parenthetical “TM” when I recalled having seen the name and went looking for it.
Hello Liz,
Welcome to the site!
You might specify which Cardinal, there is one variety that comes from Cliff England, Englands Orchards that I have and one sold by OneGreenWorld which I do not have.
My variety produced the first time last year. It’s astringent immediately after picked, but after about 5 days in a sunny window they softened and became very tasty. Nothing to brag about but worth keeping.
Dennis
Kent, Wa
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I think everybody else is talking about the non astringent kaki like sold at One Green World.
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Thanks everyone for the reply’s. The Cardinal I referred to was the one sold at One Green World. Since they advertise it as the earliest ripening, I was wondering if anyone had it ripen yet, and if so when? ODW also has other bird named Korean cultivars, Anyone growing those?
Hi Dennis your tree looks very healthy! How old is it and how tall?
@Ella … I got a Cardinal from OGW last spring… it was a tiny thing.
And… it only grew about 10 inches all season last year. Most persimmons grow like crazy here.
Even though it was so tiny it bloomed last year… one blossom which I removed. That has me wondering if it might be one to bear early.
Will see what it does this year… hope it grows a lot more.
TNHunter
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Hi Ella,
Yes, it’s been a very vigorous graft that I performed 2 years ago, I was so surprised to see fruiting last year, it’s second year. It stands about 8’ tall now. I am training it to spread as an espalier to maximize the sun exposure and limit its height. So topped at 8’. Otherwise Cliff had advised it would easily go to 25’.
I don’t like ladder work.
Dennis
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Welcome to the forum, @Ella! You may want to consider Journey and H118 for other early options. Is there a particular reason you are looking for early varieties? Do you already have mid and late season varieties selected?
Yes that is a tiny start! good luck with it this year!
Last year I purchased an IchiKiKaiJiro, Matsumoto, and Miss Kim bare root(trying to cover early-mid season). Since I am in zone 9 Louisiana, I thought I might stick with Asian persimmons, they have not made much growth over the year. This fall I purchaes Rojo Brillante potted, and just got a bare root chocolate from Gurneys (read on IFAS website that it was late ripening), Having seen that OGW describes Cardinal as VERY early, I am VERY interested!
I have IKKJiro from Starks… starting on year 3 this year. It grew 4 ft or more first season… it is 7-8 ft tall now … looking good.
Others say they can take 5 years to start bearing.
I think my wife and daughter will like the asians…
Grafting Saijo and Dar Sofiyivky this spring.
I have 6 Americans… prok, h118, h63a, mohler, rich tooie, barbaras blush.
4 Hybrids … JT02, Kasandra, Nikitas gift, Journey. Will have 5 if Dar Sofiyivky graft goes well.
If Saijo does well… 3 asians. IKKJ, Cardinal, Saijo.
That should be the end of my persimmon collection.
TNHunter
A lot of the cardinals from Restoring Eden also had tiny fruit on them.
That’s great! Have you ever tried virginiana fruit or hybrids? I sampled Nikitskaya Bordovaya for the first time this year and some hybrids I had from England’s which have jumped to the top of my preferred varieties.
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Have not had the opportunity to try any of those. So far my persimmons have all come from grocery stores!
Correction, had a ripe and juicy(what I believe to have been) Rojo Brillante right off the tree in Portugal-much much better than a Hachiya from the grocery store after waiting 2 weeks to get soft.
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