You've already received your answer in the affirmative that native persimmons grow in TN. I thought I'd address the rarity issue. It isn't that persimmons are rare, but for a long time they demanded a high price as timber and people hacked away at them with wild abandon. Unfrotunately, once you take them all, it is difficult to get them seeded. Additionally, development, cultivation, etc have all taken their toll on forest trees...especially those which are hard to get back. A clearcut will populate quickly with maples and other fast growers while hickories, walnuts, persimmons, and other trees with very deep roots and slow growth tend to lose out. Additionally, when an if these areas are replanted, people usually plant fast growing robo-trees...maples, ash, pines, etc. Another problem is that replanting persimmons takes great care. They are easily damaged beyod repair...especially if there is extensive root damage and drying of the roots. I've seen hundreds die from a single planting due to poor planting practices and poor stock handling. myrtleoak - sorry to see you've not had a decent persimmon. I can attest to the fact that raw persimmons are quite good...and persimmon pudding and other cooked products run a close second. I must eat my weight in raw persimmons, fresh pulp, etc when the harvest is coming in. BTW, many of us who also forage persimmons appreciate the fact that the misconception about needing frost to ripen continues. Persimmon trees ripen the entire spectrum from early to late. The fact that they ripen late in the year has led to the misconception that one needs frost in order to ripen. The fact is, that in much of its range, they rarely if ever see a frost. In much of its range you might normally see a frost before ripe persimmons. The timing is happenstance and depends greatly on where you live, the individual tree, the microclimate, etc. Those of us who keep close watch on trees...especially the early ripeners, enjoy a much longer harvest while people wait for frost. Wait...what am I saying?! All kidding aside, texts as far back as the mid-1800s have tried to dispel the myth of needing frost but it persists. Many in my extended family are firm believers...but I'm the one making persimmon pudding early! ;) Here is a link that might be useful: persimmonpudding.com

Hi Tony (or anyone else who knows!) I recently moved from zone 9 to zone 6 and left my extensive collection of fruit trees. I'd like to grow astringent persimmon here for making hoshigaki Japanese dried persimmon. Are there any astringent varieties that produce LARGE fruit that will survive here? And where I can order from? I saw starkbros have Saijo but the fruit is small. It may need to be potted for the first year or two until I find a permanent property to put it in the ground. This last winter low temps were in the teens F generally, only a few days in single digits. So I think cold tolerant down to 0F should be ok. Thanks very much!

We planted an Ichikikei Jiro about 15 years ago here in Va-7 zone and it's growing very well and has survived a few winters with temps dipping down to near 0F which killed back our pomegranate and figs trees at least 3 times during the same stretch of years. Our Ichikikei Jiro is also our easiest tree to maintain, no sprays, no pests, little to no pruning. It's a nice compact size after 15 years topping out at 12' high x 12' wide....see below...

looks like there is a graft down there ... wish i could see it better ... is there any chance its a.. lets say... 8 inch piece of scion wood.. and that is where it budded out??? if so .. thats how they do it.. and the only failure is you expectation ... also.. if the bud were at the top... you might be complaining that it broke off in shipping ... i have mail ordered a lot of trees .... and frankly .. this is how its done.. with these types of trees .... [as compared to conifers] .... and there probably isnt anything to complain about ... next time you visit a nursery .. look at their trees ... which were probably mail ordered in winter.. and potted for sale in spring .. im sure you will find many are the same in this regard ... with proper pruning over the next 5 or 10 years.. you can make it into whatever shape you wish ... ken