Last year Krogers had some olive trees for Z6. That was kinda odd. I never see persimmons at Lowes. Walmart, Tractor Supply, Rural King and other stores that sell fruit trees.
Why are persimmons not more mainstream at the big box stores?
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Because people donāt know what they are, so no one asks for them, so no one stocks them, so no one knows what they areā¦
In other words, itās the fine print of supply and demand. Thereās no demand for a product folks havenāt heard of, and big companies donāt like to take too many risks marketing products without demonstrated demand. One side or the other has to take the first step.
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Itās still Alberta peach and Red Delicious apple around here. Or Anna apple and no chill peaches that bloom in January.
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The box stores are notorious for selling varieties that are inappropriate for local growing conditions, such as USDA Zone and length of the growing season. Wonāt more persimmons in northern stores just mean more wasted money and more dead trees?
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Weāre fortunate to have local suppliers and a nursery that has over 50 huge greenhouses, but no persimmons. Most around here have natives that are not that good.
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Perhaps in part because theyāre just not trendy. Olive treesā¦ popular as mainstream decor for the last few years. Lots of faux plants people put indoors, or if the climate is right potted live.
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I have seen them at Rural King before. It may be regional, or it might be the luck of the draw what the nurseries send to each store.
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Maybe it is not time for them to sell persimmon trees. Apples, pears, and stone fruits first
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Iāve only eaten a few wild American persimmons. Unless they get a whole lot better than the ones I ate, Iād see no reason to plant them for human consumption.
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Have always been interested in persimmons, but never tried one. Never see them in grocery stores.
I picture them being mushy, sticky, maybe a bit like custard inside? Kinda bright orangey-yellow. Something like a cross between an apple and a tomato, but entirely unlike either. Something of a weird halloween vibe.
Well that was my impression. I could be way off.
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@jeffpas
I have some wild American ones in my neighborhood. The best way I can describe the flavor it has it āorange hi-cā that I had as a kid. Very sweet. But they are also small and full of seeds. The skin is also tissue paper thin so if they hit the ground they splat. Granted, itās a wild one going along the wood line. But itās pretty good.
The fuyu Iāve gotten at the store reminded me of cantaloupe with like a brown sugar flavor
Itās also kinda like I donāt think a lot of people have pawpaw in my area. one person i didnāt even know they could grow here, even tho Maryland is like in the middle of their natural area
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Costco sells fuyu online, havenāt seen it in the actual store though.
I didnāt buy it because I am not interested in fuyu.
Iāve tried hatchiya and fuyu from the store and I got the impression of canned pumpkin on a mushy one. Plain canned pumpkin, not a pumpkin pie flavor.
I decided to plant one Saijo, two Nikitaās gift and most recently Iām going to try grafting some Americans because I canāt find a tree.
Saijo really put on a lot of growth. I think it likes it here. Nikita grows too just not as much as the Saijo did in one year. Saijo also has very pretty glossy leaves and soft, fuzzy limbs.
Weāll see how that goes and I donāt even know if Iāll like any of them, but at least theyāre not things I can find locally and Iām sure someone will like them if not the wildlife.
I would like to try drying them.
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