Yates American Persimmons. Early Harvest. 10.11.2020

 These persimmons are about a month early.  They were already falling off the tree.  Yates is an American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), so smaller than grocery store Asian persimmons (Diospyros kaki), but with a richer flavor, like apricots with spices and drenched in wildflower honey.  These were just that good.

This tree is fenced, which is good.  I'm sure the critters would have absconded with all of these, leaving me none.

Persimmons Are Ripening. Fall Color. 11.2.18

Nikita's Gift Persimmons.  11.2.18

Nikita's Gift Persimmons.  11.2.18

October and November is persimmon season.  We already harvested and ate, all of the Yates American Persimmons, in October, but the rest are just beginning to ripen.

The Nikita's Gift hybrid persimmon tree has lost its leaves, and the orange/red globes are quite beautiful  hanging on the branches.  Most are still hard.  We will start ripening some, soon, indoors.

The Saijo Asian persimmon tree does not have as many this year.  However, the ones that it does have, should be very sweet.  I suspect the smaller crop will be typical for this tree in my yard.


Prairie Star got off to a difficult start in its first two years.  However now it's becoming a handsome young tree.  It's big enough to have flowers either next year or the year after, if climate and the gods of orchards are with us.

Persimmon trees have such beautiful fall color.

Nikita's Gift Hybrid Persimmon Tree.  11.2.18

 I was so enthusiastic about these fruits, I decided to order two additional persimmon trees for future years.  The varieties are Coffee Cake (Nishimura Wase) and Chocolate (Maru)  Both benefit from pollination by the other.  Persimmon benefits from pollination is complicated, but in the case of these varieties, each makes both female and male flowers.

Saijo Asian Persimmon tree.  11.2.18

Yates American Persimmon Tree.  11.2.18

Prairie Star American Persimmon Tree.  11.2.18

Persimmon Fall Color and Fruits. 10.1.18

Yates Persimmon.  10..21.18

Nikita's Gift Persimmon.  10.21.18

 Here are some of the persimmon trees, showing fall color.  The Yates American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) fruits have already ripened, and have been eaten.  Despite small size, their flavor is the best I have ever eaten.  The crop was small this year, about a dozen fruits.  The tree is still young.  For size, those are 5 foot tall fence posts. 

The second is Nikita's Gift Persimmon, a Ukranian hybrid of D. virginiana and D. kaki.  The fruits are beginning to ripen, but not quite ready yet.  There is a fairly  large crop this year.  I did not water this tree at all this summer, a long, hot, dry summer.  Therefore, the fruits are smaller but I imagine the flavors will be more concentrated.

Saijo Japanese (Asian) Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) always looks droopy in my yard.  The fruits are good, and should ripen in the next month.  It also did not receive any water this summer.

Not pictured yet, the other American Persimmon Tree,  Prairie Star.  That tree got off to a difficult start in previous years, due to rabbits and/or deer eating it off multiple times.  However, the tree finally recovered, and is now a tall, about 9 foot, whip.  If all goes well, expect the first fruits in 2 more years.

Nikita's Gift Persimmon, with fruits.  10.21.18

Saijo Persimmon Tree.  1021.18

Yates American Persimmonss. 10.9.18

Yates American Persimmon.  10.9.18

Today as I was wandering around my orchard, I passed by the Yates American Persimmon tree.  I brushed against a branch, and a fruit fell off.  Looking at the ground, there were multiple juicy, ripe persimmons.

These are delicious.

I planted this tree in January, 2015.  Not bad, just 3 years old.

Persimmon Tree Updates. 6.6.18

Nikita's Gift Hybrid Persimmon..  6.6.18

 The persimmon trees are doing nicely.  I planted the Asian Persimmon "Saijo" and the hybrid  (D. kaki X D. virgiana cross) Persimmon "Nikita's Gift" tree in 2013, bare root from Raintree Nursery.  They've been bearing for at least 3 years.  My mower isn't working - normally I would have the grass cut shorter.  I'm trying to limb them up to make mowing easier, by eliminating deer cages, but they are not quite high enough for that yet.  Nikita's Gift continues to outperform Saijo, faster growth and more flowers.

Of the American Persimmons,  I planted Yates in Jan, 2015.   This tree was in a small tree pot.  It has been bearing for one or two years.
Again, I'm hoping to limb it up to make maintenance easier, while avoiding most deer damage.

Nikita's Gift Flower buds.  6.6.18

 Yates also has a good crop of flower buds, so I'm optimistic.

I think I bought Prairie Star American Persimmon  in 2014.  It had setbacks due to rabbit or deer browsing, but now looks vigorous and strong.  I'm not expecting flowers this year.

Yates American Persimmon Tree.  6.6.18

Many growers report that persimmons are deer resistant, but I've had significant damage from deer.  Since I don't want setbacks, I keep them caged and am working on growing them so that the low branches are  above the main deer-browsing height.

Yates American Flower Buds.  6.6.18

Saijo Persimmon Tree.  6.6..18

Saijo Persimmon Buds.  6.6.18

Prairie Star American Persimmmon Tree.  6.6.18

Yates American Persimmon. First Taste. 10.7.17

Yates American Persimmon.  10.7.17

Today was my first taste of any American persimmon, and in this case, the Yates persimmon that I planted in early 2015.  This tree has about a dozen fruits.  The ripe persimmons almost fall from the tree, when touched. 

These are smaller than Nikita's Gift, and earlier.  Not quite as sweet, I think as Nikita's Gift or Saijo.  They are a wonderful rich flavor, thick texture, not as liquidy as some ripened astringent Asian persimmons I've eaten.

All I can say is, definitely worth growing.

Yates American Persimmon.  10.7.17

Persimmon Progress. 7.10.17

Developing Yates American Persimmon.  7.10.17

Developing Nikita's Gift Hybrid Asian:American Persimmon.  7.10.17

 Persimmons are developing nicely.  If the Yates continue to grow and produce fruit, they will be my first for this tree and for any American Persimmon.  Yates apparently does not need a male pollenizer, and will therefore be seedless.  This is a 4 year old tree.

Nikita's Gift and Saijo have a couple of dozen fruits each, fine for 5 year old trees.

Developing Saijo Persimmons.  7.10 17

I'm excited to see persimmons forming.   I'm trying to decide if some need thinning, due to several fruits on the same twigs.  They might do better if they are further apart.

I've tried tying some persimmon branches to guide them, but they are so brittle they break off.  One of the Chocolate Persimmon grafts also did that.  I had tied the little branch to another one to guide it, and the wind broke it.  Fortunately, there is a second Chocolate persimmon graft that is OK.

Prairie Star Persimmon Sapling.  7.10.17

Prairie Star American Persimmon has had a series of unfortunate events over it's young life, now in its 3rd leaf.  It was eaten off by rabbits, twice.  It was bombarded with hail, killing most of the branches.  Now it looks OK, with a good leader and a secondary in case something happens to the main one.  Based on Yates, and assuming no more unfortunate events, it could bear in 3 more years.

Hot weather. Ginkgo. Persimmons. Watering with bucket / hole method. 6.30.17

Ginkgo Tree, 19 years from seed.  6.29.17

Persimmon "Nikita's Gift".   Planted 2013.  6.29.17

 I just learned about the "hole in the bucket" watering method last year.  It's probably been around for a while.  Drill one or two quarter-inch holes in the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket.  Sit the bucket by a tree, fill with water, let it drain, move the bucket to the other side, do it again.  This method ensures about 10 gallons with each watering, avoids overwatering or underwatering.  Smaller trees, I fill once and water every few days.  Medium size trees, I fill twice and water once weekly, while somewhat larger trees I fill twice and water once weekly.  If it isn't hot, I space it out further. 

I found that with my water pressure, two quarter-inch holes work OK.

Top photo is a ginkgo tree that I moved here in 2012 from the seedlings that I started in 1998.  It had a slow start due to initial bad location but has taken off and is becoming handsome.

The rest are persimmons.  Saijo is done blooming.  I can see the start of fruits forming in the flowers.  Nikita's gift is just a little behind Saijo.  With a few 100 degree, dry, days, the flowers are brown.  I don't know if that matters for parthenocarpic (bear fruit without pollination) persimmons.   Yates is the third to bloom, and is an American Persimmon.  Yates was smaller and I planted a year or two later compared to the others, but has caught up in size.  There are a few flowers, just blooming, also petals looking singed from the heat.  Yates is sold as parthenocarpic as well.  

At this time of year, new persimmon branches are very droopy.  That puts them in range of deer browsing.  I widened the deer cages.  The ultimate goal is, trees tall enough that I can eliminate the cages for easier care and mowing.  Picking might need a ladder and good health insurance,  or a fruit picking device on a pole, but maintenance will be easier.

Persimmon "Saijo".   Planted 2013.  6.29.17

Deer browsing has been significant this year, but so far these persimmon cages are helping.  I expect to see a little damage at some point, but hoping it's minimal.

Yates Persimmon Flower.  6.29.17

Yates American Persimmon.  Planted 2014?   6.29.17

Late blooming fruits, and developing fruits. 5.22.17

Persimmon Nikita's Gift, flower buds.  5.21.17

 The late blooming fruits are not affected by early spring rains, which gives them a better chance compared to Asian pears, plums, peaches, and cherries.  The persimmons have lots of nice flower buds.  Some of those, and some leaves, have hail damage, but I think most should pull through.  Some fruit trees, maybe most, don't bear the first year they bloom.  Yates American Persimmon has lots of little flower buds, for the first time.  So we'll see about that one. 

Grapes are an exception, usually bear grapes if they bloom, even the first year.  This is the first year they have a lot of flowers at the Battleground place.   Some are 2, 3, or 4 years from planting or cuttings.

Persimmon flower buds, Saijo.  5.22.17

Persimmon flower buds, Coffee Cake.  5.22.17

"Illinois Everbearing" Mulberry flowers.  5.22.17

 Mulberry tree is covered with flowers.  Looks very promising.

Early figs forming on "Lattarula".  5.22.17

Grape "Buffalo" flower buds.  5.22.17

First Persimmons, "Nikita's Gift". 9.23.16

Persimmons "Nikita's Gift".  9.23.16

These are the first of the "Nikita's Gift" hybrid Asian-American persimmons.  A few fell from the tree, these are the best of those.  Most remain on the tree and are still unripe.

I'm leaving them in a bag with apples for a few days, to ripen.  There was a fourth persimmon, drier and more wrinkly, that I opened and spooned out the soft inner fruit, non-astringent and sweet but dry, probably because it fell prematurely from the tree and ripened on the ground, in the sun.

Saijo persimmons are also beginning to show ripe color.  It's a gradual start, but after 4 years of growth and nurturing, it appears that persimmons can be grown and produce fruit in this area.  Very rewarding.

Persimmon Progress Report. 4.28.16

Scion of Asian Persimmon "Chocolate" on "Saijo" branch.  Two Weeks.  4.28.16

Early Flower Bud of Persimmon "Saijo".  4.28.16

 At only 2 weeks, I don't expect much.  Temperatures have been lower - lows in high 30s, highs in 60s and 70s.   I uncovered the "Chocolate" Persimmon grafts so that if the buds do break, they won't be too pale and sun sensitive.  The buds look a little plump, and maybe larger than when I grafted.  That could be wishful thinking.

Meanwhile there are quite a few buds on Saijo, and lots and lots of buds on Nikita's gift.  Those are both in their 4th year, from bare root planting.  Both are considered parthenocarpic - bearing fruit without pollinization - so I may get something here.

The American persimmons, Yates (one year) and Prairie Star (two years) are growing nicely.  Yates had some deer munching, but it looks like it was not delicious.  Only one twig eaten, so far.

Early Flower Buds of Persimmon Variety "Nikita's Gift".  4.28.16

As with the pawpaws, if I actually get some fruit on these persimmons, that will be "the bomb".

Grafting Progress Report. Persimmons breaking Dormancy. 4.14.16

Graft Progress.  NOID Asian pear on Maxie. 4.14.16

 These Asian and American pear whip-and-tongue grafts were done about mid Feb, so now at 2 months.  I grafted early beacuse I thought Spring might arrive early.  The Asian variety is growing the fastest, and the American variety is close behind.  The vivid green color stands out against the reddish leaf color of the Maxie hybrid pear understock.

I give the early pear grafting experiment a success rating.  I've read that pears are the easiest fruit to graft, with apples coming in second.  Even so, it's a very rewarding project.

As pear pollenizers, these will likely need 2 to 3 years to bloom.   I have not seen pear grafts bloom one their second leaf, and some not on their third leaf.

Graft progress.  "Rescue" pear graft at 2 months.  4.15.16

New whip/tongue grafts.  "Chocolate" persimmon on Saijo stock.  4.15.16

 I read that persimmons are more difficult to graft, and need some special considerations.  It helps to have understock that is in active growth.  I also read that they should have protection from sun, so that the scion does not dry out before it takes.  We have temps in the 80s predicted within a few days.  I obtained scion for the persimmon variety, "Chocolate", at the Home Orchard Society scion exchange, and kept wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator, until this week.  I did 2 whip/tongue grafts onto Saijo, wrapped completely in parafilm tape, and further wrapped in aluminum foil to protect from sunshine.  They will need checking in a week, but I doubt a take in less than a month if they take at all.

I chose "Chocolate" because (1) they had it, (2) I read that "Chocolate" has some male flowers so can pollenize other persimmons - not likely needed, but interesting to consider, (3) I bought some of this variety fruit at Albertson's last winter and they really were good.  On the negative side, I also read this variety might not have time to ripen in Maritime Northwest cool summer/fall.  This is where grafting is helpful - I don't waste the time, orchard space, tree care, and money, for a full one-variety tree that might not bear at all.

Most of last year's grafts have healed to the point where the graft unions are difficult to see.  They are sturdy, stout branches now (plum) or are on their way to being so (apple).

Hanska plum whip/tongue graft at one year.  4.15.16

Hanska plum whip/tongue graft at one year.  4.15.16

 Persommin update, grafting and observations of growth.

I read that persimmons can be more challenging to graft, compared to other fruit trees.  It is reported that helpful measures include, grafting the dormant scion onto actively growing rootstock, and sheltering the graft from sun until it takes.  I obtained scion of the persimmon variety "Chocolate" at the Home Orchard Society scion fair a few weeks ago, and stored wrapped in foil / plastic bag, in the refrigerator.  Now the existing trees are growing actively, so I cut the scion in half and grafted to two sites on the variety "Saigo".    I wrapped fully with Parafilm tape and covered with aluminum foil.  I may change the foil wrap to something more loose in a couple of weeks, depending on how they look.

The persimmon variety "Chocolate" is reported as having occasional male flowers, which is not necessary for Saijo or Nikita's gift, but might be interesting in the future.  According to Raintree, Maritime Pacific Northwest summers are too cool for ripening fruit of this variety, so I did not want to buy an entire tree.  On the other hand I've tasted "Chocolate", grown in Willammete Valley, and liked them very much.  They are reported to have occassional male flowers, which might be interesting.  Saijo and Nikita's gift, my other two Asian or Hybrid varieties, are not considered to need pollination, however.

The American persimmon varieties are leafing out more slowly, compared to Saijo.  Nikita's Gift is between the two.  There is still potential for frost, but that seems like a minimal risk now.  Saijo has the start of a few flower buds, which emerge on new growth, not directly from dormant stems.

"Yates" American persimmon at 2nd leaf.  4.14.16

Nikita's Gift hybrid persimmon early growth.  4.14.16

Saijo Asian persimmon with emerging flower buds.  4.14.16

Walking Around. More Fall Color. 11.8.15

Volunteer Seedling Japanese Maple, and Seedling Ginkgo.  Ginkgo seeds from Vancouver WA, about 6 years.   11.8.15

NoID Japanese Maple.  11.8.15

Leaf Color, Nikita's Gift Persimmon.  11.8.15

Illinois Ginkgo from seed my Dad collected in mid 1990s.   11.8.15

Leaf Colors on Saijo Persimmon.  11.8.15

Ning's seedling Ginkgos.  He wants to prune these to a big bonsai-like ornamental.  Seeds collected Vancouvern WA as above.  11.8.15