Diospyros kaki

Diospyros kaki, also known as the Japanese Persimmon, is an elegant fruit tree that adorns itself in autumn with orange to red fruits that are decorative, fleshy, juicy, and sweet. Its dark green, glossy foliage takes on flamboyant hues in autumn. Its compact growth is suitable for small gardens as well as the background of a productive vegetable garden. Although fairly hardy, it requires a location sheltered from cold winds, deep and moist soil during the growing season, and hot summers.

Also known as the "Japanese Persimmon", this tree belongs to the ebony family and is native to China. It can reach a height of 6m (20ft) and has a spreading habit. Although it can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C (5 °F), the Persimmon tree requires a long and hot summer to bear fruit well. Reserve it for the south or use it as an ornamental tree. The deciduous, alternate, ovate, leaves, measuring 10 to 18 cm (3.9 to 7.1 in) long, are dark green and turn reddish-orange in autumn. The flowering occurs in May-June, with cream-yellow flowers that bloom on the current year's shoots. They can be of three types: hermaphrodite, male, or female, all on the same tree. Pollination is carried out by insects. Each tree is usually monoecious, with separate male and female flowers on the same plant, but there are also dioecious cultivars. If a female flower is not fertilized, the fruit still develops, but without seeds. The flowers are soon followed by round, green fruits measuring 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3.1 in) in diameter, which ripen from October to November, taking on a bright orange colour. They remain on the tree for a long time after the leaves have fallen. Their flavour is slightly astringent due to the presence of tannins, but they are rich in sugars, vitamin C, provitamin A, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and various trace elements. The wood of the Persimmon tree is very hard and resembles that of ebony, to which it is related.

Diospyros kaki is well-suited for small gardens, whether planted individually or in an informal hedge, in an orchard, or at the back of a vegetable garden. There are numerous cultivars derived from this species: there are no less than 800 in Japan and 2000 in China.

Harvest: Not before mid-November. The fruits are only edible when they are almost over-ripe, after a light frost and a period in a fruit store. They can be stored with their calyx for a little over a month in a cool place by placing them on the stalk.