Diospyros virginiana SAA Pieper - Virginia Persimmon

The Virginia Persimmon 'SAA Pieper' (Diospyros virginiana) is a variety that produces round orange fruits the size of a tomato, with few or no seeds. The flesh becomes tender and melting, losing its astringency when ripe. This variety is very early, vigorous and productive. The Persimmon is a fruit and ornamental tree that thrives in warm climates. Plant in the autumn or winter, frost-free, for a harvest starting in mid-September.

The Persimmon produces fruits that are 8 to 10cm (3 to 4in) in diameter, with thin, orange skin. The tender and melting flesh contains few or no seeds. The harvest of the Persimmon begins in early autumn for this variety. Be patient: the harvest generally starts in the 3rd or 4th year. Pick the Persimmons with pruning shears. They can be harvested when fully ripe, when they are soft to the touch, but should be consumed quickly. You can also pick them when still firm and ripen them indoors, wrapped in newspaper, with the stem facing downwards, near apples. For longer storage, opt for freezing. The Persimmon is best consumed when it is almost over-ripe, meaning very soft, almost too ripe. This ripening phase is necessary to remove the astringency from the fruits. In terms of cooking, the Persimmon can be eaten raw, cut in half and spooned out, or incorporated into a fruit salad, crumble, compote, or sometimes served with a savoury dish. It is rich in vitamin C and provitamin A.

The 'SAA Pieper' variety is vigorous and productive. The flowering is late, appearing in May-June, in the form of small insignificant yellow flowers, which will be pollinated by insects. It is a self-fertile variety.

The Virginia Persimmon is a tree with a rounded habit, reaching a height of 6 to 10m (20 to 33ft) and a width of 5 to 7m (16 to 23ft). Its growth is rather slow. Belonging to the Ebony family, its wood is very hard. The leaves of the Persimmon are elongated, about fifteen centimetres long, and are a shiny green colour. They turn a beautiful reddish hue in autumn before falling, while the fruits are already present on the tree. The Persimmon is a hardy tree, capable of withstanding temperatures down to -18°C (-0.4°F), but still requires high heat in summer. In the garden, it can be planted in the orchard, as a standalone tree on a lawn, or at the back of a border. It is both a fruit and ornamental tree, thanks to its superb autumn colour and its orange fruits, hanging on the tree in early winter. It thrives in warm climates and is suited to the same areas as the fig tree, olive tree, or almond tree.