Japanese Persimmon seeds Diospyros kaki seeds
LATIN NAME: Diospyros kaki
COMMON NAME: Oriental Persimmon, Japanese Persimmon, Kaki
The Oriental persimmon is one of the most beloved of the fruit trees of the East, and its large, glossy, orange fruits, borne in the autumn, have been a treasured treat of China and Japan for more than two thousand years. It grows as a deciduous tree of the ebony family, reaching up to twelve metres, with a broad, rounded crown of large, oval, glossy, dark-green leaves, which turn a rich orange and red in the autumn, and, in the late spring, the small, inconspicuous, cream or greenish flowers, followed by the famous fruits, large, round, flattened or heart-shaped, with a smooth, glossy, orange skin and a soft, sweet, rich flesh, which may be astringent or non-astringent depending on the variety, holding several flat, brown seeds. It is a species of the ebony family, the most widely cultivated species of the genus Diospyros, and although its first botanical description was not published until 1780, the cultivation of the kaki in China dates back more than two thousand years.
The Oriental persimmon belongs to the ebony family, Ebenaceae, and it is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Diospyros. It is known as the Oriental persimmon, the Chinese persimmon, the Japanese persimmon, the kaki persimmon or the Fuyu persimmon, and although its first botanical description was not published until 1780, its cultivation in China dates back more than two thousand years, while it is prized for its large, glossy, orange fruits.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The Oriental persimmon has a genuine and distinguished place in both agricultural and nutritional research. It has been studied in agriculture and in the fruit science, since it is the most widely cultivated species of the genus and a treasured fruit tree of the East, and researchers have examined its cultivation, its many hundreds of varieties and its improvement, while the breeding of the improved, non-astringent varieties has been of particular interest, and the kaki has drawn attention in the international fruit and horticultural press as a beloved fruit of the autumn. The fruit has also been studied in the nutritional science, since the soft, sweet flesh is rich in the vitamins, the sugars and the beneficial compounds, and researchers have examined the composition of the fruit and its value as a food, while the drying and the storage of the fruit have been examined. The tree has also been studied in botany, since it is a member of the ebony family, the genus of the ebony trees and the persimmons, and its classification and its relationships have been examined, while the study of the persimmons and their many species has been of continuing interest. For a fruit of such long and beloved history, the Oriental persimmon has a rich and distinguished record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the Oriental persimmon is a generous tree of the autumn. Its small flowers feed the bees and the insects, and its large, orange fruits feed the birds and the small animals, while it is a beloved presence in the orchards and the villages of China, Japan and Korea.
Its economic value is enormous. The kaki is the most widely cultivated species of the genus and a treasured fruit of the East, with a cultivation in China dating back more than two thousand years, and its large, glossy fruits have drawn attention in the international fruit and horticultural press as a beloved fruit of the autumn, while the fresh fruit, the dried fruit and the many varieties are all valued. For a grower, the Oriental persimmon is a rewarding and generous tree, and for a gardener in a temperate, warm region it brings glossy foliage and a harvest of large, orange fruits. The seeds are easy — sow them in a pot of moist, free-draining compost in a warm, sunny spot, keep them lightly watered, and they’ll sprout within a few weeks, growing on into a generous, fruit-bearing tree.
Japanese Persimmon, Diospyros kaki, Fruit Tree Seeds
Fragrant Flowers, Edible Showy Fruits, Fall Color, Attracts Birds and Other Animals, Drought Tolerant
Japanese persimmon is a deciduous fruiting tree with a rounded spreading crown that grows 20-30 feet tall. This tree is noted not only for its edible fruits but also for its excellent ornamental features. Oval to obovate leaves to 6 inches long emerge yellowish green in spring, mature to glossy green in summer and turning an attractive gold to red in fall. Trees are usually dioecious (separate male and female trees), but some trees have both male and female flowers. Notwithstanding the flower types, trees are parthenocarpic (may set seedless fruit without pollination). Fragrant, non showy flowers bloom in late spring, with the creamy white female flowers appearing solitary and the pink toned male flowers appearing in clusters of three. Edible persimmon fruits to 4 inches in diameter mature in late fall, and may persist on the tree into winter. The tree is a sight to behold when leaves have fallen in autumn, displaying the bright yellow orange fruits throughout the canopy. Japanese persimmon is native to Japan and mainland Asia where they have been cultivated for centuries.
Fruits may be harvested when the skins reach deep orange. Fruits can be eaten fresh or dried (hoshigaki) and are commonly used in syrups, jellies, ice creams, cakes or pies. Persimmon leaves can be used to make teas.
Other Names: Japanese Persimmon, Kaki Persimmon, Oriental Persimmon
Growth rate: Slow to Medium
Plant Type: Deciduous fruiting tree
Family: Ebenaceae
Native Range: China, Japan
Height: 20 to 30 feet
Spread: 20 to 30 feet
Shape: Round; upright
Bloom Time: May – June
Bloom Color: Creamy white (female) Pink (male)
Sun: Full sun
Fall Color: Orange, red, yellow
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Culture: Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized effect is desired. Once established, they need minimal care and require little or no pruning. Fertilize three times a year as you would for other fruiting trees.
Uses: May be pruned as a hedge, screen. Oriental persimmons make attractive shade trees with the added bonus of delicious fruit. They can be espaliered or used as specimen trees in mixed plantings, where their colorful fall foliage and fruits will be emphasized against an evergreen backdrop.