Coroa de Rei
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I have been looking at Nikita’s Gift. So, I just ordered one. Thank you…!!
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Hybrid persimmons picked today.
Nikita’s gift, Kasandra and Chuchupaka.
Nikita’s gift and Kasandra are more brightly colored than chuchupaka at the time of picking. Chuchupaka supposedly turns black but not in my climate.
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I can’t wait for your tasting report for these! I know Chuchupaka is supposed to get very high brix, so it will be interesting if they get that sweet with your cooler weather.
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Oh, I’m so sorry!!! The Saiyo fruit forced my hand by ripening so quickly!
Any suggestions for increasing the odds that the in-ground Saiyo tree survives the winter? Other than moving south?
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I would look at Saijo like your IKKJ. They might be hardy enough most of the time, but a freak winter could damage them. I’m further south but we have plenty of temperature swings with dips below zero every few years. Some locals grow Saijo with success and I’ve seen reports of some losing Saijo trees. Mine thankfully haven’t been damaged by winter cold here.
I’d suggest not fertilizing with a lot of nitrogen later in the season. This might improve hardening off of growth and enhance winter survival. I also normally plant my Asian persimmons close to structures that block desiccating winter winds.
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Another data point: I have a Saijo in NE Arkansas zone 7a. It was a small bare root from Burnt Ridge planted spring 2020. It has survived two brutal winters dipping just under 0F in February 2021 (with a 5 gallon bucket over it) and again in December 2022 (no protection).
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Thanks. Unfortunately, my location is very exposed to any westerly winter winds. Maybe it’d help the persimmons to use a wrap as a wind-break. But I’m not sure I want that much work. My main strategy will be growing questionably hardy varieties in pots. Meanwhile, I’ll try some varieties in the ground.
So far, this issue applies only to my Kakis. I’m assuming that all my D. virginiana trees are cold hardy. And so far I’m growing hybrids only if they are reportedly very cold hardy (i.e., Kassandra and JT-02). For the Kakis, I’m trying IKKJ, Saijo, Sheng, Giboshi and Miss Kim in the ground, and I have Taishu, Cardinal, Chocolate, Coffee Cake and Saiyo in pots. I realize that it’s way more than I could ever eat. A lot is experiment, hopefully telling me what grows here and how it tastes.
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So much orange!!! A pile of Fuyu and Jiro, Saijo, and Rosseanka. Bad year for American persimmon, but a boom for asians. I’ve got tons still on the trees.
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Compared to nectarines, apricots, pluots and figs I would say no persimmon is worth greenhouse space. I’d fill the greenhouse with figs and stone fruits, eat them throughout the season and dry the excess for winter consumption. The only other fruit that I’d grow in a greenhouse is citrus, so that I eat fresh, high quality fruit throughout winter.
Don’t get me wrong, I like persimmons and have 5 trees of them, but they just aren’t the same league as stone fruits and figs.
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I’d agree but persimmons aren’t bad. I have had them in the greenhouse before. For some reason the greenhouse ones weren’t as good as the Eureka that I had outside. Even Chocolate wasn’t good.
I do appreciate your input. I’ll probably plant them outside. Their only serious issue outside is the weather. Spring freezes and winter cold damage. My last tree made it about 8-10 years before declining due to cold injury. If I get that again I’ll be happy.
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Just one opinion, but I happen to think persimmons are fantastic — comparable to figs.
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I’d agree for both the PCA Kakis that I’ve tasted (Hachiya, Saiyo) and the PCNA Kakis (IKKJ, Fuyu) if fully ripened and especially if partially dehydrated. I’d also agree for what I think was a PVNA type that I found growing in a yard in the next town.
I’m reserving judgment on the two hybrids I’ve eaten – Kassandra and JT-02 – but I think the answer will be the same.
Right now I’m less enthusiastic about Virginiana. I’ve eaten some very good H63A and Barbra’s Blush this year, but so far I’d trade them for well-ripened figs.
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Persimmons are fantastic. My best figs are better. My best stone fruit are better yet. As good as it gets.
Given how few pests persimmons have I can see why they are widely loved. They’re much easier to grow to high quality than either figs or stone fruit.
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For my tastes, I’ll rate selected D. kaki cultivars above all figs.
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Persimmons are certainly easier for me to grow outdoors than figs. You can pick them all at once at the end of the season when there is little else. Sometimes I do not have time to check on figs daily during harvest season so some go bad. Persimmons also don’t have problems with SWD or spoiling in the rain when ripening.
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Which ones do you prefer, Richard?
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I grew up in Redlands CA with a nearly 50 year-old “original Fuyu” down the street. It was a climbing tree for us, but those bright red persimmons were very good in the fall. I also like the Matsumoto Wase distributed in southern CA three decades ago, plus the Jiro.
I’m looking forward to fruit in a few years from a Nikita’s Bordeaux arriving this winter, plus an Early Jewel (aka etc.) if I can find someone in CA willing to graft it onto D.v. saplings.
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I do like my PCNA fruit too. I think my favorite of the ones I grow is Nishimura Wase for fresh eating. Lots of rich brown sugar flavors and a bit of spice. What a fantastic late night snack. I got very good at popping out the seeds so they’re not really an inconvenience to me.
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Not many fruits that I’ve tried have it, both are berries.
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