Many customers ask…Can I grow persimmons north of their “native” southern range? The answer is a simple “YES”….as long as they are suitable varieties. Deer Luscious™ and Full Draw™ persimmon trees are both very cold hardy northern American persimmon trees. Full Draw™ is a late-dropping persimmon tree with fruit annually falling well into winter. This large sweet persimmon fully ripens on the tree, begins dropping in September, and continues into winter. This tree also is one of the last persimmon trees to wake up in the spring avoiding those late damaging frosts. During the polar vortex of 1994, Full Draw™ received -31 -27 -26 below zero temperatures. Deer Luscious™ is a very early-bearing persimmon tree. They are dropping a large, fully ripe persimmon annually starting mid-September and falling into mid-December. The original Deer Luscious™ persimmon tree resides in north central Pennsylvania and is over 100 years old. This tree has seen temps from -20 to -30 degrees too many times to list.

It is commonly believed that persimmons need a frost before they can be eaten. This assumption is not valid. All our available varieties will be dropping free from the orange and ripe tree. This is very important in the north. Why? Because deer don’t want to eat astringent half-green persimmons, just like we would not want to. We have a wide variety of persimmons available with specific drop times, creating an excellent food source for deer. Persimmons trees have little to no insect pressure or disease issues and require no spraying. Making them the lowest maintenance tree possible to plant for deer. Most of all…..THEY ARE RELISHED BY WHITETAIL DEER!

PURCHASE DETAILS
Grafted trees (2’-3′) are $32.00 each
Grafted trees (3’-5’) are $42.00 each.

Grafted American Persimmon Trees

All Blue Hill’s grafted American persimmon trees are grafted onto the very vigorous 90 chromosome Rootstock. When used as rootstock, these persimmons will provide you with a vast persimmon tree reaching heights of up to 80′ and producing excessive fruit. Grafted female persimmon trees (genetic clones) grow true to original tree characteristics and bear fruit sooner than trees grown from seeds. Grafted persimmons will typically begin producing in 3-5 years, depending on your soil nutrients, soil Ph, and care.

When do persimmons begin bearing fruit?

Grafted persimmons bearing fruit at a young age is not precisely what you want to have. The goal should be to have a structurally sound tree and let it fruit. Every persimmon on this page has produced fruit by age three again. A few cultivars put out a few fruits well before that when planted in the appropriate soil and provide protection and annual fertilization. A dozen fruit on a 2-year-old tree will not feed many deer. A good goal would be to have a tree that, by age 5, is standing 10 to 15′ and carrying 100 persimmons; this will feed some wildlife. Our Persimmon trees are sold at 1-2′- 2-3′, and 3-4′. These are all well-rooted, which is very important when planting in the north. Persimmon trees will be the last species to open in the spring, but pushing growth on time means having enough roots to push that growth at the appropriate time. When a persimmon sleeps, is green to the scratch test, and leaves out late, the new growth may die back in the fall because any growth on a persimmon that does not harden off by fall will die. Having a fully rooted tree is essential for this reason is very important.

American Persimmons Seedlings

As you can see by the yard stick in the picture, the seedlings grown from the seed of the Full Draw are very vigorous. After only a few months growth and plenty of growing season left, these trees are reaching for the top of the yard stick.

The seeds for these seedling are derived from the original Full Draw persimmon tree which is cold hardy to -30° F. These are 90 chromosome cold hardy America persimmon trees that reach heights of between 50’ – 80’. They bloom from late May to early June avoiding late damaging frosts. The female  trees will produce annually and are relished by deer for their sweet plum like fruit that drops in early fall through winter. Persimmon trees grown from seed will be male or female, only female trees produce fruit be sure plant in groups of 6 to 10. When planting seedling you will get a variety of drop times from late summer and in through fall.

Purchase Details
Size  2′ to 3′     $6.00 each
3′ to 5′      $9.00 each