To the best of my knowledge, none of the hybrids drop. They must be picked from the tree.
Being in 5B limits your choices, but there are some good ones. Your best bets are JT-02 aka Mikkusu, Chuchupaka, and Dar Sofiyivki (also spelled Dar Sofievki). Mikkusu is the only one with any real commercial availability stateside right now, and even that is pretty limited. If you know how to graft, you shouldn’t have much trouble getting scion via forum trades.
Also, Journey is supposed to be very early, like earlier than Prok per Cliff England. Its ostensibly 25% or 12 1/2% kaki if memory serves
Agree with @jcguarneri. I grow JT-02 and Kasandra. Both must be harvested by cutting the stems, as with Asians. Kasandra will sometimes drop by separating at the calyx if over-ripe. I’ve had 3 crops of Kasandra, and here in Z7A they are 80-100% ripe by late Oct / early Nov. I’ve had 1 crop of JT-02 and picked it ~75% ripe in early Nov. I finished both indoors. I don’t think either one will ripen fully for you in Z5B but Kasandra is your better choice.
As Jay suggests, look at Sofie’s Gift when it is available. It is reportedly early:
Gift of Sofiivka is the correct name.
Gotcha. Thanks! I had been looking at Prairie Star (H-118), Rosseyanka, and Nikita’s Gift; would those also hybrid “don’t drop from the tree on their own” options?
H-118 does not fall into that category.
Straight American
H-118 is not hybrid, as JCW mentioned. Depending on the particulars of your zone 5B (likelihood of late cold snaps, GDD, etc), Rosseyanka and NG are likely to be a bit of a gamble, from what I’ve seen of other’s experiences. JT-02 is the best tested in eastern North America zone 5 conditions, but Chuchupaka has had good reports so far. Dar Sofiyivki, I would be surprised if it doesn’t work out, based on reports from knowledgeable growers in Ukraine.
Ah, thank you! Still working on my spreadsheets, trying to keep everything straight…
Thank you! Read about Sofiyivky and it seems like a great candidate once availability improves (I haven’t learned to graft yet). My folks’ place (where I hope to plant) is about 90 minutes north of you, but in a favorable microclimate I think.
there is at least one OP to American Roseyanka male at Lehman’s
Hi all
I got some good and bad news on the hybrid persimmons trial. The good new is JT-02 still the hardiest hybrid persimmon so far. Unfortunately the Dar Sofiyviky did not make the cut at-17F at Dax’s place Z5 Illinois. I had high hopes for this one due to it beautiful to large cluster fruits. Bummer!!!
Tony
Wow, that’s a punch in the face.
where is this post from?
This is an email Dax sent to me. We are doing Z5 Hybrid persimmons trial.
Tony
Thanks for sharing Tony, I was going to but you beat me to it!
Thanks, So the only survivor is JT-02? I am Z6A the lowest recorded temperature at Akron Canton airport was -25 1/19/1994. But winters were a lot harsher 30 years ago.
Jt-02 is your best bet for Z5. All my 20 Hybrids that I crossed of-118, H-120, Meader, and Prok X 400-5 Hybrid male from Jerry Lehman all survived -18,F.
Tony
How big\how many seasons was @barkslip 's Dar Sofiyivki? I’m still holding out some hope for this one. This is definitely one tick in the “no good” column, but I’m waiting to see more data points. Also, there are the rumors of the Dar Sofiyivki in circulation stateside not being the real deal. I have faith that it is, but we’re at least a couple years out from telling for sure.
Dax Bud chips most of his hybrids in late Fall and grew them in his green house over winter with light and planted them in the Spring with tree tubes. So his Dar Sofiyviky probably 1.5 years old and 3 feet tall
Tony
Thanks, that’s good additional info.
I have zero comparative data to back this up, but I count on having to protect hybrids to above the graft for the first two winters up here in the North, at a minimum. I know that callus tissue is much more sensitive to cold than a mature stem, and the hybrids seem to take an extra year to really start building bark over the callus.
