September Tree of the Month-Persimmon
After one or two cooler mornings, everyone starts talking about winter. Will it be cold? Will there be snow? Despite climate change that has turned our seasons inside out lately, you can count on a few things once the calendar page turns past November. Yes, it will be cold, and yes, there will most likely be snow and ice. (This is why it’s called ‘winter’ and not ‘summer’) But humans love to speculate, predict, and forecast the upcoming winter. Some people swear by the Farmer’s Almanac, others use woolly worms, and some use persimmons.
One University of Missouri Extension in Jefferson County has been keeping track of persimmon records for the last 17 years. According to their findings in Jefferson County, the persimmon seeds have been accurate for thirteen of those seventeen years. How do you tell? If you cut a local, ripe persimmon fruit seed in half, the shape of the cotyledon (what will be the first leaves once the seed sprouts) should resemble either a fork (mild winter), a knife (fridged winds that cut like a knife) or spoon like above. (lots of snow this year!)
Aside from weather predicting, the persimmon tree, Diospyros virginiana, is a beautiful native that prefers full sun to part shade. With a height of 35-60′ and a spread of up to 35′. The flowers are considered insignificant but bloom in late spring, followed by the beautiful fruits that glow orange on the tree when ripe.
Persimmons are dioecious, meaning separate male and female plants. So, if you desire the fruits (either to eat or predict the weather!) you’ll need both sexes.
What I love about this plant;
-It’s native!
-Edible fruit for wildlife and humans ripens after a frost and persists into winter. (Most fruits found in grocery stores are Asian persimmons, D. kaki.)
-Beautiful blocky bark makes persimmon easy to ID, even in winter.
-No significant pests or diseases.
-Tolerate a wide range of soils but can be used in rain gardens with moist, sandy soils.
-Fruit has been used to ‘predict’ the winter for years. (Out of the five seeds I split this fall, three were spoons, two were knives-all from the same tree. I’m preparing for biting winds and lots of snow, but like I said…that’s every winter!)
What’s not so great;
-The fruit is beautiful, edible, and beneficial to wildlife, but can be messy. Locate your female persimmon away from your driveway, patios, walkways, and roof. A male persimmon, on the other hand, makes a great shade tree.
-Can sucker-remove them unless naturalization is desired.
Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com
Words and photos by Jo Batzer
© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2023, All rights reserved.
