Tanenashi Japanese Persimmon Tree

The persimmon fruit has become much more popular in recent years, but not that many people realize how easy they are to grow in your own garden. You only need one to harvest a big crop, and they pretty much take care of themselves, with none of the fancy pruning and attention most fruit trees need. Genuinely pest and disease free too, they make an attractive shade tree, turning brilliant fall reds and oranges, and then the bare tree in late fall, decorated with those big orange fruits, is a delight to the eye. There are two distinct types of persimmon fruit. Some are edible while still firm, and these are great for salads and eating fresh. Others have a high tannin content and taste ‘fuzzy’ when firm. These need to be left to ripen until they are completely soft, like an over-ripe tomato, and then they are delicious. For baking, this is the variety you want, and they are also delicious and juicy eaten raw with a spoon. A superb traditional variety of this type is the Tanenashi Japanese Persimmon, which has large acorn-shaped fruit which, when ripe, have a wonderful sweet and rich flavor, sometimes described as a mixture of pear and apricot flavors. It ripens in September and October and this wonderful fruit will soon become an eagerly-anticipated fall treat.

Growing the Tanenashi Japanese Persimmon Tree

Size and Appearance

The Tanenashi Japanese Persimmon is a small deciduous tree growing 12 to 15 feet tall and around 8 feet wide, with smooth gray bark. The oval leaves are between 3 and 6 inches long, and oval, with a smooth, glossy, bluish-green upper surface. The underside of the leaf has a characteristic light-tan fuzzy surface. In fall, especially in cooler zones, the leaves turn bright shades or gold, orange and red – a lovely display. Small white flowers hide among the leaves in spring, and the Tanenashi Persimmon is self-pollinating, so unlike some other varieties it carries a full crop even when grown on its own – a great thing if you don’t have a large garden.

This variety ripens relatively early, in September and October, and by then the fruits are large, about ½ pound in weight, rounded and fat, with a slightly pointed tip like an acorn. This variety is noted too for its lack of seeds, which makes preparing it very easy. The skin is bright orange and once they are well-colored the fruit should be picked. It can be stored for several weeks in a cool place, and then put in a warm room to complete its ripening. Wait until it is very soft, and it’s ready to eat. You can eat it fresh – a spoon is useful – and enjoy the delicious, juicy flesh which is so sweet and wonderful. There are many recipes for cooking with persimmons – muffins and jams are very popular and a delicious way to enjoy your harvest.

Using the Tanenashi Japanese Persimmon Tree in Your Garden

Because it is so ornamental you can grow this great small tree anywhere in your garden. Plant it out on a lawn or at the back of a shrub bed. Grow it at the end of your vegetable garden or in a dedicated fruit-tree area. It’s a lovely tree in all the seasons and a great garden addition.

Hardiness

The Tanenashi Persimmon is hardy in zone 7 and all warmer zones. It only needs 100 to 200 chilling hours (times when temperatures are below 45 degrees) so it will grow properly and fruit well even in zone 10. It enjoys warm climates and it’s a great southern tree.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Full sun is best for your Tanenashi Persimmon Tree, but it will take an hour or two f shade without much problem. Too much shade will stop it fruiting. It grows readily in any well-drained soil and since it enjoys richer soils, add plenty of organic material when preparing the planting spot and use more as a mulch every year or two. Once established it is reasonably drought resistant, but a generous deep soaking during dry spells will help develop lots of big fruits, so pull out the hose.

Maintenance and Pruning

Many gardeners have stopped growing fruit trees because they seem to get so many pests and diseases. Not the Tanenashi Persimmon, which is almost always completely free of any problems, so no spraying is needed – the fruit will be entirely ‘organic’. It also doesn’t need all that complex pruning most fruits trees need either, just remove a few branches in spring if they are crossing or it looks overcrowded.

History and Origin of the Tanenashi Japanese Persimmon Tree

The Japanese Persimmon (柿), Diospyros kaki, has been cultivated in China and Japan for thousands of years. There are many different varieties, some with long histories and others we know very little about. The variety we call ‘Tanenashi’ is called ‘Hiratanenashi’ in Japan, where it is an important commercial crop variety. The name means ‘seedless’, which this variety is.

Buying the Tanenashi Persimmon Tree at the Tree Center

If you want to grow fruit, but don’t want to do a lot of fancy growing, then plant a persimmon and let nature do the growing for you. So easy to grow, and so good to eat, the Tanenashi Persimmon tree is so easy to grow, and gives such a big harvest, that everyone is wanting one to plant. So order your tree now, while our stocks last – it won’t be for long.