There are a couple of Fuyu-type varieties which reportedly have survived the temperatures of Zone 6 or even zone 5. (in the ground, not potted). I'm not saying they will fruit consistantly (mine has not yet) but that they can survive those temperatures. Of the varieties I've found that reportedly can survive one is listed as being a dwarf (which means that it might naturally have a smaller root system as well) and that would be Ichi Ke Kei Jiro. Available from Edible Landscaping in Va.

I have not heard of anyone growing them in a pot (though stranger things have happened I'm sure). Just for the sake of giving you another choice, you may also want to consider Masemato Wase Fuyu from Burnt Ridge nursery as well (hardier , but not listed as a dwarf) Let us know what you decide and keep us posted on how it goes.

On your recommendations I am adding Atreano this spring. (it will be potted up). Good luck with the Persimmon.

~Chills

Hi I'm in norwalk CT and have 2 persimmon trees sanjo and fuyu a lot of fruit falls off the trees and my first year with my sanjo it died and i had to wrap it with burlap for the second year . if you have any more questions just ask I got my trees from raintree nursery they are vary good

An excellent choice but not sure whether growing in a container is OK. I have a fuyu persimmon tree and all my friends who tried the fruits loves it. Overhere Fuyu grows very slow. So my suggestion is pay alittle & get a bigger tree. I paid C$75 then, now its $99 for the same size. When I got my tree it was about 5 ft tall and it fruited the following year and from the 3rd yr onwards you will see alot more fruits. Its about 14 yrs old now. Trunk size is approx 8" in diameter. The tree is in-ground & I have never fertilize it. Its approx. 12 ft tall & very hardy. We have temperature to -12*C & I have never seen any die backs. The other good side of Fuyu is that it starts to flower in May after all threats of frost, so U can be guaranteed abundant crop & overhere it has very little or no problems.

For the last 11 yrs it had fruited abundantly, so many that I have to take the leaves out in mid Oct. so that the weight of the rain would not rip out the branches laden with fruits. Very often the branches have to be supported becos of abundant fruits. Then come 2nd/3rd week November I have to pick the fruits before the frost destroy the crop.

OK -- Fuyu does sometime drop alot of fruits. I don't know why but I am glad they do otherwise the tree would be overloaded with fruits & fruit size would be compromise & branches breaking off. Branches breaking due to overbearing is common. The fruit drop off in my zone usually takes place when they about an inch in size so its not a problem & very rare they drop when the are near maturity. Inspite of this habit of dropping fruits, the harvest is surprisingly abundant. I have more than enough to share with at least 10 families. Me & wife can't eat them fast enough & they are of good size, bigger than those in the supermarket because its almost tree ripen when they are picked. The abundance in fruit I think is primarily related to the timing it flowers when there is no threat from frost. As for the Hachiya variety, well you have to pick the fruit when it is soft, just like figs otherwise it would taste horrible. So if U have lots of fruits(like fuyu) it becomes a problem unless U dehydrate/dry them. Overall maintenance is very easy, just regular prunning to thin out & allowing sun to penetrate to keep the tree healthy.

Paul

paully, what part of the country are you in?

i'm also going to try to grow some persimmon from seed I got in california,,Now lots of folks don't like to grow from seed because of many reasons, anyone out there know the best way to get a seed started? is it a wet papper towel and wait for sprout?

thanks

gman

I was one that i said that is not a good ideea to grow fig trees from seeds originating in Supermarket.
Please Gman,go ahead grow some figs from seeds and tell us in a few years how it is tasting!!!Ha Ha.
We are on the fig Forum,so we discussed the growing of fig trees from seeds.
Now Persimmon from seeds is another story.
You will get Hybrids that will fruit ,most of them.
How good they will be tasting,or if they require cross polination,that is another ? sign.
Your seadling will be perfect to graft well known varieties on them,at least.
Good Luck

herman! I know you are the guy who said that, and I heard it from others as well. I don't grow fig from seed,did you not read that I just ordered fig trees from willis,,also we been growing fig trees in the bronx that taste great and yeild high since 1960s. I'm trying to learn how to root off these trees, since my granfather planted them and he is no longer with us. Trees came from italy..

where talkin about persimmon,, and I know it's the fig forum,,,did I break a rule? I just happen to run across this post.
,,The guy who gave me the persimmon seed has a thirty foot tree in his front yard yeilding great tasting persimmons he planted from a single seed.,I could'nt beleive it myself.,so in the case of persimmon, it may be possible to get some good fruit,, but I do beleive, I would of been better off getting a cutting off the tree..
so don't worry Herman, I won't pollute the world with rubbish figs grown from seed.

gman

Hi Gman :In my opinion you did not brake any rule.
In fact,the information about Persimmons are very interesting.I am going to buy one myself.Also got a Jujube!
This is indeed a very desirable fruit that seem to do ok up to zone 5.Only figs are really a problem when comes from seeds.So many people get frustrated every year,with figs that do not fruit!!.
Best Luck to you

Gman -- I am from Chilliwack,British Columbia,Canada.

Frank -- I would only plant non-astringent variety. Otherwise the fruit got to be really ripe & soft to be palatable.

Hi Frank,I live about twenty miles east of you.I've been growing persimmons succesfully for about fifteen years.I never tried growing them in a pot, but I grow them as part of my landscape in the ground. These trees look stunning, with there symetrical growing habit and there shiny green leaves,not to mention the beautiful orange fruits that are so delicious.I always tell people that it is a must for any backyard.I've grown every fruit you could think of and this fruit tree is the least maintainance for our north eastern area.The least amount of work for the greatest return of yummy fruit.I reccomend the varieties saijo which needs to ripen fully or is astrigent.However about 25% will fullen ripen on the tree the rest need to ripen indoors.Saijo has a great flavor.The non astrigent variety I reccomend is early Fuyu,both of these trees I bought from Raintree.When I bought an Izu two years ago a rabbit ate the bark around the tree and I never replaced it but it also looks like a good one.I bought a Ichi ki kei jiro from Edible landscaping about twelve years ago but the taste of the fruit was inferior to the Fuyu so I cut it down.So Frank buy yourself a persimmon tree it will be worth it's weight in GOLD.

Stay Well,
Anthony

To Fig Forum members: ... thanks for all the different opinions and the quick, thoughtful, responses to my questions. I knew if I asked you guys for advice, I'd get useful information PDQ!

I have not yet decided whether or not I want to start growing Persimmons. Living in the NYC/Bronx area, I have no problem buying more Persimmons than I can eat, but I admit, growing your own fruit is much more fun than buying them. I'm very impatient when it comes to certain things, and the reason I decided to grow figs was because you can get good figs in a very short time, as everyone on the forum knows. I'm also 58 years old, and I don't want to wait five, or more years, for a tree to come into fruit-bearing age for a harvest. So ... if I were to go the Jap. Persimmon route, I'll spend the extra bucks for a larger/older, near-fruiting-size tree. Willis Orchards and Edible Landscapes sells large trees ... at or near fruiting-size I guess, so , I'll order a large tree from these places IF and when, I decide to buy.

Thank-you all, for your input. Your advice has been most helpful.

Chills, 6bMI : ......Hope you get as much enjoyment from the "ATREANO" figs as I have. These trees have far exceeded all my expectations, and I just may use my "persimmon money" to buy more of THESE fig trees instead ... that's how much I like them!!! This Winter season will tell me if they can survive in my unheated/un-insulated shed. It can get pretty cold here in the Bronx, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the trees will come through winter without serious damage or major set-back. The trees will come out of the shed and into my kitchen area probably by the end of April. Yes, that's right... in my kitchen area. I'll just have to walk around some 6 FT. trees for a few weeks. My back deck is right next to the kitchen, so when the weather is warm, I'll just roll out the pot - with the three trees planted together - onto the deck so they can start soaking up all the sun. My containerized trees are on a dolly with wheels for easy moving. I'll move the trees out during the sunny days, and back inside at night until the weather warms up. I've read, on this forum, that it takes about a month for the figs to break hard-dormancy, and, to start pushing out new leaves, so the outside/inside growing schedule should get me to the end of May, which is when I'll put the trees out for the '08 growing season. By doing this, I'll get a full-month jump on the short summer season. If I see brebas start forming, they'll get pinched off the branches so that they'll be no delays in setting main-crop figs. My back deck faces south so it gets almost a full day of hot, blazing sun, and because my three trees are planted in one large container, it's very easy for me to water them, feed them, etc.

Hoping that you enjoy your "ATREANO" fig trees... One other thing .... let the ripening figs hang as long as possible after the figs droop-at-the-neck, and the color goes from light green to golden-canary yellow. Also cut back on the watering as figs start maturing !!!! The figs on my trees started to ripen around August 25TH, and continued into the first weeks of September. This is what I did last August, and, I was rewarded with very sweet, rich flavored, jammy fruit. VERY LARGE FIGS TOO!!!! Most, if not all, of my figs were a FULL 2-1/2" diameter! The "color-change" - as the figs mature - seems to be a good way to tell when these figs reach optimum ripeness. I noticed that when the figs start drooping at the neck, the grass-green, shiny/glossy hard figs, start to turn a lighter green as they begin to swell, and soften. By the time they start to really droop down, and hang at the neck, they go a very light green, with some yellowing showing through on the lower end, going towards the eye. These changes can happen overnight! As the figs continue to swell and ripen, the whole fig goes to a rich, golden, canary-yellow, with only a little light green showing in the stem area, the skin looses it's shine and turns to a matte, soft, golden-yellow. The figs are very round, with little neck showing, and look like yellow, tennis balls hanging on the branches. Also, the figs become very soft, and the skin on the figs becomes very delicate to the touch. Remember ... cut back on the watering as figs begin the ripening stage so sugars and flavor can concentrate, keep trees in full sun and heat, protect from soaking rains, and you'll "chow down" on some great tasting super-sweet figs. I find that containerized trees are easier to care for than in-ground trees. Of course, do what works best for you.

As far as I'm concerned, this variety beats ANY crappy, latex-flavored, "back yard" figs that I've ever eaten, ... including the famous "BROWN TURKEY" that everyone seems to grow. As a bonus, the birds didn't find, or touch any of my figs! I ate about 4-5 dozen perfectly ripe figs last year. I will concentrate all my gardening efforts on growing this variety, and growing it well.

Good luck, and happy fig growing to you. Let me know if you need more information.

Frank, from DA-BRONX

PS:
I just ordered a Saijo,Japanese persimmon ,you guys convinced me.From Burnt wood nursery.They have good rating and i did not want to take any risk,like getting something else,than what(antonio,Espo),the poster above have.
Happy Gardening