I recently planted two fuyu peraimmon trees that were already 5 ft tall. One is doing well from the start. It has lots of new branches and leaves while the other one is just the opposite. It didn't sprout new branches or leaves. Ironically, the healthier of the two when I first got them is the one that's not doing well. They both did bare fruits, though. Now, the one that's not doing well has lost all of its fruits and the leaves turned red and yellow. The healthier one is also experiencing fruits falling off and some discoloration of the leaves, but there are a handful of fruits that remains. Hopefully, they will stay on to maturity. I do hope they will both survive. This post was edited by khanou on Sun, Jun 9, 13 at 18:04

We too love the growing out of seedlings. And why shouldn’t we? Chance seedlings, or those deliberately grown by fruit breeders, have been the progenitors of most of the great new varieties of fruits over the past three centuries. Most of the 101 varieties of heirloom apples at Philen Pharms, for example, were originally the result of the choosing of a single seedling that bore exceptionally flavorful fruit and, after that, propagating from grafts of the mother tree to maintain the characteristics of the variety (of course, “sports” (naturally occurring mutations on a branch) can also give rise to a new variety). As Mr. Long correctly points out above, it is a misconception that the fruit of all seedlings will be substandard in taste, but if you're looking to reproduce the flavor, aroma, flesh texture and color of the fruit of a mother tree, you will often be disappointed, especially given that you've nurtured that seedling for six or seven or more years before bearing, which is usually the case with trees grown from seed. As for the Hyakume persimmons mentioned above, if I had not been able to secure grafted bareroot trees, I might too have taken a chance on seedlings from Hyakume seeds found in a purchased piece of fruit, because it's one of my three favorites. And, of course, anyone who has the space, time, resources and determination to do a homegrown version of a fruit breeder’s growing grounds, might one day produce a chance seedling that is a great new find. But for the average home gardener with limited space — backyards aren’t what they used to be — who’s looking to replicate as soon as possible a piece of fruit whose taste is particularly prized, why take a chance on a seedling if you can find a one-year-old grafted bareroot tree on a precocious rootstock that will quicken the time to bearing? And if you can't find one, I believe a grafted tree of another reliably delicious variety is your best bet. For information about our favorite varieties of the temperate fruits we grow, as well as a listing of the finest American nurseries that sell bareroot trees online, scroll down our timeline: https://www.facebook.com/philen.pharms

Tony, thank you for the advice! I've read many of your posts on this forum, and your experience and talent are amazing! I have been browsing catalogs. Starks has Yates and Prok, and Burnt Ridge has some too. I might have room for one. They start very small. i sent Burnt Ridge an email about their scion. I have a feeling that will bear, before the small freestanding trees will bear. I grafted pollenizing varieties of plums onto self sterile ones, for better fruit production. I've thought about growing those seeds. So I could see that working like you describe for the Ukranian varieties. Seems like a clever method! Thank you again for the reply! Daniel

Hi, I recently received a grafted persimmon tree (kaki onto native persimmon), but the leaves were severely distorted - twisted & looked like they had a severe case of acne. Does anyone have any idea what this could be from? (more info: 1) These trees came from Florida. 2) I ordered 2 different varieties of persimmon; BOTH have the same problem. 3) The leaves were yellower when they arrived, but I assumed that was from shipping in a box. The trees have been outside on my deck since 4/28, but haven't greened up yet. I am most worried about the ?pustules, especially if they are contagious to my small home orchard.) Thanks so much in advance for any help you can provide!!