Like someone else mentioned, persimmons often start really slowly. I think it is mostly because of the tap root. I bought a Garretson persimmon as a bare root and it barely survived. It just sat there and didn't really grow. The leaves were small and I told the nursery ( One Green World ) that I thought it had a virus. They said, "No, that's just the way they grow from bare root." It also looked as if it were doing nothing the next year. This year (3rd year), it finally has full-sized leaves and it fruited! They were right! The tree looks healthy and is doing great! I bought an Early Golden in a pot and it didn't have this transition. I planted it last fall and it is already fruiting. It was a large holdover on sale, and I got a screaming deal. It has about 7 fruits on it. I think the bare rooted one will, over time, be healthier, more drought resistant and have more minerals and flavor because it is drawing its nutrition from deeper in the soil base. It does take a bit longer to grow though. JOhn S PDX OR

Long, stringy shoots sounds like a tree trying to compensate from pruning. When a significant amount of foliage (potential foliage) is removed from a tree, the tree will try to quickly overcome the loss. The tree will put more energy into growth and less into fruiting. Maybe you and the tree disagree about what "modest" pruning is?

i might wait to cut the left .... my 6 year old.. started from about the same size is easily 6 foot tall and 6 at the wide bottom .. GIVE IT A LOT OF ROOM ... make permanent planting.. perhaps even planting the root ball at an angle ... no way i will ever describe it in words.. but if you can get 20 to 30 to 40 degrees.. just by planting the roots crooked.. you will reduce the amount of training necessary ... all of the root ball needs to be under soil .... but by creating a very slight mound.... you may get 90% of where you need to be without a stake ... if you do that ... what you are thinking is the second leader ... will be nearly parallel to the ground ... go figure ... we will take care of that in a year or two ... if it continues to have upward ambitions .... staking is illustrated below .... i tend to size up.. as needed.. rather than pound the 7 foot stake in right away ... hoopsi isnt going to need staking for structure... for you.. it will only be for training ... and NEVER TIE OFF NEW GROWTH .... it will snap like a carrot ... always tie back to at least last years wood.. or even better.. 2 year old wood ... trust me.. i have snapped off more leader than i care to admit ... get it planted... on an angle... snap a new pic.. and we can advise at that point ... make sure the root/trunk collar is at soil height.. meaning properly planted ... you might be shocked.. but that is a very healthy.. very normal product .... FOR WHAT YOU PAID FOR IT ... ken example of staking.. but not a hoopsi

Many in the Pacific Northwest use strobiformis. Most in the Midwest use strobus. I have used both in the past and the strobiformis has had better results. Those that swear by strobus will disagree so it becomes a personal preference. You will notice that the woods cut differently.