History of Persimmons, 'Diospyros Kaki L.'

History of Persimmons, 'Diospyros Kaki L.'

Admiral Perry, who found the fruit growing on the coast of southern Japan in 1851, brought Japanese persimmons, 'Diospyros kaki L.,' into the United States from Japan.

The majority of the early Japanese persimmon importation in 1828 was produced from seed in Washington, DC, but was unsuccessful because of the exceptionally cold winters that year.

Beginning in 1870, the USDA brought grafted varieties of Japanese persimmon into California and Georgia, and many of these experimental persimmon tree studies were initiated in Central Florida in the early 1900s at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

There are 1,000 Japanese persimmon cultivars available in Japan, but just a handful of commercial trees should be considered by the home gardener for consistent fruit production out of the hundreds of tree cultivars studied in the United States during the last several years.

Fuyu, Fuyugaki, Giant Fuyu, Chocolate, Eureka, Hachiya, Jiro, Tam-o-pan, and Tanenashi are Japanese persimmon tree varieties recommended for home gardeners.

During the early 1900s, Professor Hume of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, established several varieties in Florida. The trees caused a stir due to their prolific early bearing and the observation that the trees matured into big bunches of colorful, luscious fruit in late October, when there are few fresh delights available. According to reports of early Japanese persimmon tree plantations, more than 22,000 trees were being produced commercially in Florida alone. The Japanese persimmon trees are divided into two types by two labels that most people are unfamiliar with. Most people take the word "non" as a negative, referring to a tree that exhibits a less desirable feature. Non-astringent or astringent fruit is produced by Japanese persimmon trees. Because it has a "non" bitter taste in the green or hard fruit condition, the non-astringent word is more appealing to the general garden audience. When the astringent Japanese persimmon fruit ripens to the point of softness, it has a juicy, delicious, and extremely attractive taste. The optimal taste of a Japanese persimmon does not occur until both the non-astringent and astringent persimmons have ripened fully on the tree to the point of softness. The inappropriate use of these phrases in encouraging the purchase of Japanese persimmon trees has discouraged many gardeners from planting trees of the astringent persimmon varieties. Plum trees, for example, are not classified as sour or sweet, despite the fact that a hard green plum before completely ripening is sour to taste, but it turns delightfully sweet and juicy in the soft-colored stage.

Some botanist historians say that the Japanese persimmon tree found there a thousand years ago originated in China. This argument is often repeated by academics when the national origins of many other plants are questioned, although it is worthless. Geologists believe that at some point in ancient history, Japan's land limit was joined to the continent of Asia.

California orchardists produce a large quantity of Japanese persimmon fruits, which begin to appear on grocery store shelves around Thanksgiving. South American persimmon fruit grows at different times than persimmons in America, allowing many grocery shops to offer this delightful and flavorful fruit all year. At a refrigerator temperature of 30 degrees Fahrenheit, Japanese oriental fruits may be preserved for two months for future consumption.

Japanese persimmons produced from seed may reach 40 feet in height; however, current grafted varieties seldom reach that height. Fruit forms range from plum, tomato, and heart-shaped to square, oval, teardrop, and lobed, with many permutations in between.

The fragrant, pleasant perfume of the little golden wax-like blooms fills the air. The blooms may or may not need cross-pollination and will grow into a variety of sizes (up to one pound apiece) and colors (yellow to dark-reddish orange).

The wood is among the hardest known to man, and it is highly valued and sought after by Japanese artisans for wood carving. Because of its deep green, waxy leaves that develop such spectacular hues in the autumn, the Japanese persimmon tree is an important landscape specimen species, sometimes resembling a brilliantly illuminated Christmas tree in the landscape.

The 'Diospyros virginiana,' or American persimmon, was discovered growing in Virginia by the early American Captain John Smith in 1609, who described the tree and the persimmon fruit in great detail and as tasting like an apricot.

The famed early American botanist William Bartram observed the native American persimmon trees, 'Diospyros virginiana,' as reported in his 1773 book Travels. Early American presidents and plant collectors, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were similarly drawn to the native American persimmon.

The delicious, pinkish-orange fruit of American persimmons contains a few seeds and ripens in September. When overripe at the pinkish-orange stage, these delightful fruits have a natural juicy, sweet, fruity flavor and should never be taken off the tree until plump, tender to the touch, and entirely ripe.

The American persimmon thrives in practically every woodland environment in the United States, and mountain wood carvers prize the trees' hard wood for its attractive grain. The wood is also in great demand for the production of golf clubs, which are appreciated for the durability and bounce projectability of golf balls that come into contact with the wood.