Well, I'm sure you remember the Odd, to say the least, neighbor with the dogs and horses. She has a P tree, don't know the name but I have eaten one and it was delish and right now there are dozens of fruit on it and no one ever eats them. Should be against the law, lol

I would love to get one, so I am anxious to hear from the ones n the know, besides you of course,lol

I love Fuyu's and hate the pudding varieties(hachiya). Fuyu's remind me of an apple that taste like pumpkin.

Something very creepy about biting into a fruit that has jelly inside of it......

Yes, Tobydmv ... that's what a lot of people say, but I love 'um, but then I've never had the pleasure of eating a good Fuyu. Sounds like maybe you made a good analogy there of what it would be like :-)

Different strokes for folks. I get the same reaction when I tell my friends I hate India Pale Ale's and love German beers.

I really like the Fuyus (because I can eat them when I want). I have one in Quitman and it does have the most beautiful fall color.

I bought a similar variety called Coffee Cake but something ate the fruit before I could.

These were the only varieties I saw for sale. I wouldn't mind having a mouth-puckering one too.... Fruit trees have to go INSIDE the fence so I can enjoy the fruits...

Lin

the non-astringent varieties are just fine, if they are too hard just let them mellow out in your home for a while they shouldn't be too soft though. I found squirrels love to est chunks out of them and sometimes there won't be any for you to eat.

Fuyu's are great. Better if ripened on the tree of course - just like any other fruit.

Thank you all for the input! I'm seriously considering trying to find a place for a Fuyu persimmon tree since so many of you like it. It must be that the Fuyu fruit I bought was picked way too early as is often the case with California peaches that are shipped to San Antonio.

I recently purchased and planted a Hachiya variety from Fanick's because as mentioned above I've had that variety before and loved it -- both for the unique sweet taste of the fruit (there is something about the tiny astringent edge to the ultra sweet flavor that makes it good) and the beauty of the tree.

Based on feedback on this message thread, I also recently purchased a Hachiya variety - I just don't have it in the ground yet. Maybe once you get your Fuyu, we'll have to do a taste test on the varieties :)

Lin

I wouldn't put them in a place where they are the focal point as they may get hit with sudden die back. It leaves you with a gross, little, stunted, tree. 3 of my 4 kakis, Fuyu and Hachiya got zapped last spring and look terrible. Dead wood everywhere.

Willyt, thanks for your input. I am so sorry to hear you have a problem with your persimmon trees. Have you been able to determine what 'zapped' them and caused the die back? Persimmons are not known for die back, such as pear trees which are prone to fire blight, but have been said to be pretty much care free trees.

I googled Oriental persimmon tree diseases and found this:

"Pests and Diseases: Persimmons are relatively problem-free, although mealybug and scale in association with ants can sometimes cause problems. Ant control will usually take care of these pests. Other occasional pests include white flies, thrips which can cause skin blemishes and a mite that is blamed for the "brown lace collar" near the calyx. Waterlogging can also cause root rot. Vertebrate pests such as squirrels, deer, coyotes, rats, opossums and birds are fond of the fruit and gophers will attack the roots. Other problems include blossom and young fruit shedding, especially on young trees. This is not usually a serious problem, but if the drop is excessive, it may be useful to try girdling a few branches. Over watering or over fertilization may also be responsible. Large quantities of small fruit on an otherwise healthy tree can be remedied by removing all but one or two fruit per twig in May or June."

And:

"Japanese Persimmon Pests And Diseases

"There are few insects or fungous diseases which need cause the American kaki-grower serious concern. The Mediterranean fruit-fly (Ceratitis capitata Wied.) attacks the fruit in Australia, but this insect has not yet made its appearance in the United States. A few scale insects are occasionally found in the kaki orchards of California and Florida, but the attacks of none have proved serious. Hume writes as follows with reference to Florida:

"The worst enemy of persimmon trees, and the only one worthy of note, is the flat-headed borer (Dicera obscura), a native insect. The adult is a hard, metallic beetle, about five-eighths inch in length. It lays its eggs in rough-barked places in the crotches of the tree, or in wounds made in pruning or resulting from injuries of any kind. The young borers hatched from these eggs bore through the bark, work between the bark and wood, later boring into the wood. The larvae when well grown are about one inch long, white, with broad, flat heads and round bodies. That they are at work in a tree may be known by the discolored bark and by gum oozing from the trunk or branches. Cut away the bark with a sharp knife or chisel and destroy them. Paint the wounds thus made with good, thick, white-lead paint. Carefully paint all wounds when made, and scrape the rough-barked places on young trees. By careful attention to wounds on the trees, they may be prevented from entering, and the trees will live to a good old age."

Do you think borers might have been the problem? I searched for a picture of the flat-headed borer (Dicera obscura, but Google didn't have one.

I tried to plant a couple of bare-root American Persimmons I mail ordered this past spring, but neither one made it. I was going to try a Fuyu from Fannick's, and hopefully find a different provider...anyone know a nursery that sells American Persimmons?