Diospyros virginiana

American persimmon is dioecious, producing trees with either all male (staminate) flowers or all female (pistillate) flowers. Male flowers are arranged in small clusters of two or three on short, branching stalks. Female flowers occur individually on very short stalks. Large, oval, mature leaves usually become yellow-green in fall. The sweet orange, edible fruit attracts wildlife. The bark on a mature tree has an unusual texture and pattern — thick and dark gray and broken into scaly, square blocks.

Why grow Diospyros virginiana?

• It provides an edible fruit in the fall, for humans and wildlife alike.
• The flowers in spring are attractive to honeybees.
• It’s native throughout a large swath of the Eastern United States and parts of the South and Midwest.
• It’s drought tolerant, once established.
  
   

Specifics:

• Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9.
• Habit: Depending on the site, it can remain a small tree at 15 feet or grow to 60-100 feet high. It often features a round-topped crown of crooked branches.
• In the landscape: It grows in a variety of soils including dry, rocky/shallow and clay. Persimmon grows best in full sun or partial shade. It will sucker. Two trees are required to produce fruit. It’s a slow grower and is not a candidate for transplanting because of its long taproot.
• Propagation: By root cuttings and grafting.
  
   

Sources: Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center; Illinois Wildflowers