Persimmons

Persimmon is a low winter chill, temperate climate fruit tree. This means it grows well in North San Gabriel Valley.

The most common are Fuyu and Hachiya in SoCal. I have Fuyu (apple persimmon) which is non-astringent, has a squat shape and is eaten like an apple. There is almost no core, and the skin is quite edible. They are NOT good when allowed to get soft. Fruit is picked when almost ripe to ripe and orange. October - November is their time. The crop is BIG every other year.

Some fruit can get mealy bugs around the crown but no big deal. Otherwise, I have not experienced any other pests or diseases.

Tree has a vigorous and upright shape. Fruit bears on last year's new growth. On big fruit years, every other one, the branches will bend from all the fruit. I don't thin the fruit, but will be observant of trimming as necessary to keep branches from breaking. Leaves turn orange before dropping.

Because the branches grow so long on big fruit years, it is necessary to prune more which will reduce the crop the next year. Once the tree is shaped in the initial few years, prune with visual instinct. It is not necessary to wait until dormant to do some damage prevention trimming as needed. Keep this little paperback handy How to Prune Fruit Trees by R. Sanford Martin (1944).

http://www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/crop/crops/i_persim.htm