Hello,everybody!Who can tell me how many seeds has American wild persimmon fruit? On the photo they are in front (small fruits).Wild persimmon tree is growing at the side of road on which I ride to work.These wild fruits have from 5 to 8 seeds.My co-worker speaks me that in Southern Missouri, where he was living many years ,wild persimmon fruit had only one seed.Is it Diospyros virginiana or not? http://yfrog.com/72resized003j

Yes, the smaller fruit in front are D. virginiana, which is native in your area. They range from zero to perhaps as many as 10 seeds, but at least in our area, probably average 4-6.

We clean all fruit pulp off of them, put them in Zip-lock bags with some damp potting mix or dampened perlite, seal the bag, and put it in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator for about 90-100 days, then plant them individually in deep pots. Nearly every seed will germinate successfully. D. virginiana wants to make a very deep taproot in a hurry, hence the need for a fairly deep pot.

Malcolm Manners,thanks for the answer. It just that what is necessary to me for a rootstock of my future an astringent persimmon. You will not believe, but I cannot to find any an astringent varieties of persimmon in the local nurseries though at the some people in the Pensacola it grows in theirs yards, it's very well to visible now in the fall. This kind of persimmon - my wife dream.

I too am looking for the wild persimmon so I can grow rootstock for grafting Asian persimmons.

Malcolm how long before I could have graftable stock from seeds collected this fall.

Viktor where is the tree you are looking at. There is one behind the church (Methodist I think) on Langley.

Seeds harvedted now, cold-stratified until late January or early February, can be grown to buddable size seedlings by October 2011. So 11-12 months total.

Many Thanks,

I was told that using the native rootstock is the best way to go to graft the Asian "sweet" persimmon. Do you have any tips about that?

The big advantage to putting kaki persimmon on virginiana rootstock, in the native range of virginiana, is that once established, you can pretty much ignore the tree for the rest of its life. Some people, to get the deepest possible taproot, plant the stratified seeds outdoors on the exact site where they want to grow their tree. That way, there is never any need to cut roots or have any form of transplant shock. Such trees should never need irrigation and very little fertilizer. (I would certainly irrigate and fertilize the rootstock seedling that first season, to push it along in preparation for grafting)

Charles , Just I have recollected now.We saw a wild persimmon 9 years ago in the park, that on Scenic HWY and we saw before hurricane Ivane a wild persimmon tree in the Bayview park, I have forgotten about it, my wife has reminded me.

Thanks Dr. Manners
I just washed and recovered about 200 native persimmon seeds and have them in the refrigerator to plant in the spring. Some I will start in deep containers to graft to fuyu ,but most will replant on my property. i have never had any luck digging up the sprouts from the mother trees and they just do not sprout where i would like to graft to the sprouts Some of the sprouts from the mother tree (35 years old) range out to 75' coming up in flower beds where they have to be destroyed. Last huricne took the top out of one of the older trees about 8' above ground but it has recovered and is growing and recovering. Amazing trees with survival instincts.
Karl

Awesome! I'll give you a call.

I have one diospyros virginiana tree in the front yard of my house which I bought a couple of years ago. Before I moved here I had never seen a native persimmon, and most people I know haven't either.
It is now one of my favorite fruit and I have planted seeds from the old tree and started about 20-30 more trees in the yard.

Its strange that these are a relatively rare tree. In my opinion they have a distinct flavor and texture compared to Asian persimmons.