How to grow persimmon from seed? (Persimmon Seed Germination)

Gregory Stewart

Updated on August 30, 2022

Persimmons make great trees for home gardeners and are very easy to grow. Persimmons can be grown in your garden as a unique and delicious fruit. Persimmons add a bright and colorful accent to your landscape.

Persimmons are beautiful and provide 55% of daily recommended vitamin A and 21% of daily recommended vitamin C. We also covered the following topics in this article.

• Are Persimmons true to seed?
• Growing Persimmons starting from seeds
• When Persimmon seeds will germinate
• How can you germinate Persimmon seed?
• The temperature of germination for Persimmon seeds
• Persimmon seeds germination period
• Management of Pests and Disease

Step-by-step guide on How to grow Persimmon from Seed (Persimmon Seed Germination)

Conditions for Growing Persimmons

Location – Persimmons that are grown in cooler regions must receive full sun and protection from the cooling breezes. The persimmon tree is an attractive ornamental and blends well into the landscape.

Soil – Persimmon fruit can tolerate a wide variety of conditions, as long as it isn’t too salty. However, they thrive in well-drained loam. Preferable pH levels are between 6.5 and 7.5. Persimmon tree has a strong taproot, which can mean that you may need to dig a deeper hole when planting.

Regular irrigation – These persimmon trees can withstand short periods without water, but their fruit will be larger and more nutritious if they are regularly watered. Extreme drought can cause plant leaves and fruit loss. Persimmon tree will sunburn any fruit that is left.

Collection of Persimmon seeds

Persimmon seeds germinate the best when they are fresh. Harvest them in autumn, after the fruit has softened. You should only take a fully ripe seed from persimmons that have not been harmed by birds, rotten spots, or green skin.

Once the Persimmon fruit has been cut open, remove a few seeds. Let them soak in warm water for several days to break down any sticky flesh. To clean the seeds, rub them lightly with running water. You can either start the seeds right away or keep them dry until you’re ready to use them.

Persimmon fruits contain 5 to 8 seeds. They can be picked in the early fall after the fruit has softened. Fruits from larger persimmon trees must be picked soon after they have fallen from the branches.

Persimmon fruits are edible. After the persimmon fruit has been cut open, persimmon seeds are easy to remove. You can rub off any remaining seed flesh with running water. The seeds can be easily removed by soaking them in water for several days. They can then be dried for long periods in an airtight container in the fridge.

Start Persimmons from seeds or Germination Persimmons from seed

The cheapest method of growing persimmons is to gather seeds from wild trees and sprout them right where you want your persimmon to grow. Gather whole persimmon fruit and then take out the seeds.

The seeds will need to stratify so you should plant them in autumn or winter. Persimmon seeds will not germinate until the late spring so you may want to plant them in outdoor containers.

After seeds germinate, transplant them to their final place. To promote germination, you can plant your seeds in soil moist taken from the woods if you choose the pot method.

Seed treatment for Persimmon Germination

Persimmon seeds need to be kept in the soil moist for germination. Cold stratification is a process that chills seeds to mimic the natural process of overwintering them outdoors.

Wrap the seeds in a moistened paper towel or sphagnum moss, and then place them in a plastic bag inside the fridge for up to three months. To keep the persimmon seeds moist, spray the paper towel or moss with water if it dries.

Persimmon seed germination conditions

To satisfy your physiological dormancy, stratify the seeds by moist chilling them for 60 to 90 days. To observe germination, you can either sow the seeds in a container that is suitable for seedlings or in a plastic container.

Persimmon seedlings develop a long taproot very early in life. Therefore, tall containers are best for them. Make sure to plant one Persimmon seed in each pot using the sterile potting mix.

Place the Persimmon seeds in the ground at 2 inches deep. Then, place the pots in a bright, warm area. You can warm the pots using a propagation heating mat if daytime temperatures are below 70 degrees F. In 6-8 weeks, tiny persimmon seedlings will appear.

The persimmon seed germination rate is low at 25 to 35 percent. Therefore, it is advisable to plant multiple seeds to increase your chances of success.

Propagation of Persimmons

The seedlings can be grown from the fresh seeds that have been taken from the ripe fruit in autumn. Drums can be used to ferment the fruit to make it easier for extraction. The persimmon seeds are then washed and dried.

Persimmon seeds are sometimes germinated in flat trays. The seedlings, which measure 15 to 20 cm tall, are then transplanted into the nursery rows during the spring. This is the best time to protect roots from drying out. The seedlings will be large enough to be grafted or budded at the end of the first season.

By the way, as with most deciduous fruit trees, common persimmons won’t just grow true to type from seed.

Growing Persimmons from seed

Choose a fully ripe, unblemished Persimmon to grow Persimmons from seeds. After removing the seeds, soak them in warm water for three days. After the seeds are soaked, rinse them under running waters to remove all flesh.

After you have cleaned and soaked the seeds, it is time for cold stratification. The process of stratification is similar to the overwintering that seeds need to sprout. Wrap the seeds in a dampened paper towel and place them in a glass container.

Keep the jar in the refrigerator for three months. When the paper towel starts to dry, spray the paper towel with water. This cold treatment is known as stratification. It breaks down the seed’s dormancy and can prevent germination.

It should be started in the fall or the winter. This is about five months before the last spring frost. You can check it every 3 months and spray it with water. This will keep it moist for the duration.

Place peat pellets on a tray or pan filled with water. Let the pellets soak up the moisture and expand. Remove any water remaining and press one persimmon seed into each pellet, to a depth of 1 inch.

To create a humid environment, wrap the tray in a clear plastic bag. The seeds will germinate in 2 to 3 weeks in either dark or light conditions at temperatures between 68 and 86 degrees F.

The plastic bag should be removed as soon as the seeds germinate. Place the tray with the peat pellets inside a sunny south-facing window to allow the seedlings to grow. This phase requires temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees F during the day, and 55 to 60 degrees at night.

Rotate the tray periodically so that the seedlings grow upright and aren’t forced to reach for the lights. You can also suspend two 40-watt fluorescent lamps six inches above the seedlings. The lamps should be kept on for 16 hours per day. The lamps should be moved up as the seedlings mature so that they are at least 6 inches above young plants.

When the seedlings reach 3 inches in height, fill 4-inch pots with moist potting mixture up to one-third of the way. Place a peat pellet containing a seedling in each pot. Fill the rest of the pots with moist potting mixture. As the seedling grows, keep the soil moist.

The young persimmon plants should be dried for 2 weeks before being transplanted into the garden. You can place the pots outside for up to 2 hours each day. Then, gradually increase the time they are outside to allow them to adjust to the outdoors.

Once the cold stratification process is completed, place one seed into a tall plastic container with drainage holes. Because persimmon trees have a long taproot, tall containers are necessary.

Place the seed 2 inches deep in sterile soil. Persimmon seeds can germinate at 25 to 35%. Therefore, it is a good idea to plant several seeds. Persimmon seedlings should be visible within 6-8 weeks.

Persimmon seedlings should be kept in direct sunlight and with well-drained soil. After the danger of frost is gone, you can move your potted persimmons outside. After two weeks, harden them by moving them gradually to a place with more sunlight. Persimmons need to be watered every week. However, they don’t like soggy soil. After that, let the soil dry for a few days.

Persimmon seedling care

Seedlings thrive in bright, indirect sunlight and well-drained soil. Keep them outside in sheltered areas during spring, and then gradually expose them to more direct sunlight for about a week. To keep your roots healthy, water them once a week. However, let the soil dry in the top inch between watering.

Persimmon seed transplant

Because of their long taproots, seedlings should be planted after their first full growing season. This is best done in autumn after the first rainfall. To allow enough space for a mature persimmon tree, choose a site that has at least 20 feet of area.

Although they are tolerant of most soil types, young persimmon trees do not thrive in areas where there is saline soil. They require very little attention and do not need any special fertilizer to produce fruit. Persimmon trees may take up to five years before they bear fruit so patience is a must.

Stratify Persimmon Seeds

The outer shell of persimmon seeds is thick and hard. This prevents them from germination until they detect the ideal environment for plant growth. You can stratify the seed to crack or reduce the seed coat and speed up the germination process.

Refrigerator stratification

• First, wetten a few sphagnum moss seeds and place them in the middle of the moss.
• Place the moss and seeds in a small plastic bag. To retain moisture, seal the bag.
• Keep the bag of seeds in your refrigerator for two months.
• Take the bag out and verify that the seeds are germinating. Plant the seeds as soon as they sprout.
• Gritty sand can be used to fill a small container or tray that is used as a seed starter.
• The persimmon seeds should be planted about 1/2 inch deep. Plant 1 seed per cell if you are using a tray. You can also space your persimmon seeds a few inches apart in other containers.
• You will need to dig a hole in your yard or garden that is large enough for the seed tray and 2 inches of gravel.
• Place about 2 inches of gravel in the hole. Set the container on top of the gravel in the middle or late winter when temperatures are still low. Pack soil around the container.
• Cover the container with pine straw. You don’t need to water; winter precipitation is sufficient moisture to stratify.
• To check the germination process, cover the container within 60-90 days of spring arriving.

Choose from a variety of cultivars

I have bad news for you. Many large nurseries don’t stock common persimmons. If they do, they usually sell them under a generic name without any information about the cultivar. Many wonderful cultivars are worth looking for.

Deer Magnet

You can’t get a better cultivar to attract deer than “Deer Magnet.”

The fruit is produced late in the year, between October and December. It stays on the tree throughout the winter, providing food and shelter for deer and other wildlife.

It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to enjoy it. It is delicious with its two-inch fruits, which have sweet, pungent, and flavorful flesh. To be tasty, this astringent variety must be overripe.

They can be grown down to Zone 4 and are self-pollinating so there is no need to plant a maple tree to get a harvest.

Dollywood

Although ‘Dollywood” produces delicious fruit, what makes this tree stand out is its growth habits. Although it doesn’t grow very tall, it spreads with gracefully weeping leaves. It is a beautiful ornamental choice.

The fruit ripens between mid-September and late October. However, the harvest can continue into November. This variety was recommended by Jerry Lehman because it doesn’t require that the fruit be too ripe to enjoy them.

It was also a prolific producer, he said.

It is self-pollinating so it doesn’t require a friend. However, a nearby male will yield a greater harvest.

Early Golden

This cultivar dates back as far as the 1800s. It is also the parent plant for many of the more recent cultivars that breeders created in the last decade.

The golden orange fruit is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and has a mild, sweet flavor. It can be grown in containers as it is small and only grows to 10 feet.

Another variety that can withstand winter up to Zone 4 is this one. The fruits are ready for harvest in September. However, you should let them soften before you eat.

Although it can produce some fruit even without a male tree nearby you will get a better harvest if the male pollinator is present.

Early Jewel (H-118)

This is the oldest American persimmon fruiting type. It has beautiful bright red fruits, which makes it a perfect choice for its name.

It bears more fruits than other varieties and has a steady, large crop. They are ready to pick in September, and the fruits are completely seedless. They are sweet and delicious when ripe.

Another self-pollinating cultivar.

Killen

You may recall that I spoke of the black flecks in the pulp. The flesh of this variety is free from imperfections and has no black flecks. These medium-sized fruits measure approximately 1 inch in diameter and are extremely sweet.

The mature ‘Killen” is approximately 25 feet tall. The fruits can be picked around mid-October. Allow them to soften before you eat. This cultivar can be harvested from one tree. It’s self-pollinating.

Lehman’s Delight

Jerry Lehman bred this new self-pollinating cultivar. This cultivar produces large, smooth fruits that can grow up to 3 inches in diameter and sweet, sweet flesh.

Although the tree is compact, it produces lots of delicious fruit. The fruit starts to ripen in October, but it’s too late. You can eat fruits that are soft, but not too ripe.

Morris Burton

The rare, non-astringent American persimmons I mentioned are the unicorn of American persimmons. This is the granddaddy.

Although the non-astringent types of hair have not been identified or made readily available, they were all bred from Morris Burton.

Although it is not a prolific producer, it can take a while to produce. Breeders are trying to improve the quality of these varieties.

The fruit can be eaten when it is still firm or allowed to ripen completely. It becomes sweeter the more it ripens. This one is self-fruitful.

Management of Pests and Disease

American persimmons are highly resistant to diseases and pests. Because they are so resistant to pests and diseases, you won’t have to spray them.

There are some things you need to be aware of. If you maintain trees’ health by watering them properly, pruning as necessary, and planting them where they get enough sun, they should be capable of withstanding most problems.

Make sure you remove all plant debris from your yard in the fall.

Herbivores

Persimmons can be grown in a way that gives you a break from most diseases and pests. However, it will still be necessary to fight animals looking for food.

Birds

Persimmons can be enjoyed by all kinds of birds, including small warblers and large turkeys. I advise you to net your tree about a month before harvest or accept your fate.

You will still be able to get plenty of fruits, and the local birds will appreciate your bounty.

Birds can also help to eradicate pests from your persimmon trees and other parts of your garden. They will come to your garden for the fruits, but they can also take care of the bugs.

You give the birds food, and they will help you keep your garden healthy. Win-win, right?

Deer

Persimmons are so beloved by deer that hunters will often make a product from them to draw them in. The deer will eat the fruits from your garden, as well as the ones that are left on the trees.

They will also eat the twigs, and leaves, which can be especially harmful to young trees and saplings.

Rats

Fallen fruit is a favorite food for rats and other rodents (as squirrels as well, but I’ll go into more detail later). If fruits start to pile up, you can be certain that rats and mice will soon follow.

To discourage rats from coming to your tree, repellents are a good option.

Squirrels

Squirrels may not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things. However, they are annoying because they try to get the fruits before they have ripened. They may steal them or just nibble on a few and then leave them hanging from the tree.

Although squirrel collars and baffles prevent them from climbing up trunks, they can still jump from nearby trees or buildings to your trees. You’ve probably seen a determined squirrel before.

You have a challenge because squirrels can fall from any height at the same speed as humans, and can also hit the ground at the same speed.

If I were hungry and knew that jumping from a top-of-a-house to a nearby tree would not kill me, I would be jumping around like a madman (which likely means that I wouldn’t last long in the wild).

There are many deterrents that you can buy, but they don’t work well when squirrels are looking for persimmons. To lure squirrels away, you can place feeders near trees. They won’t be able to eat enough fruits to make a significant impact on your harvest unless they have access to an additional food source.

Insects

American persimmons are not affected by insects for most of the year, but they can still be affected by them.

These are the most common pests you should be looking out for.

Borer

Persimmon trunk clearing borers ( Sannina uroceriformis), bore into the trees’ trunks, as you might guess from the name.

Adults are black moths that have a red stripe across their bodies. They look like wasps.

They lay eggs at the tree base, and the larvae hatch into plants. Then, the tunnel up to the trunks, where they pupate in cocoons.

Below ground is where the most severe damage is. However, you might notice frass (it looks a lot like sawdust), or a black, gummy substance that has escaped infested trees. Trees can become weaker if the roots are damaged and may wilt.

Even the bugs can girdle and kill young trees.

You can find this pest by digging down to the root and looking for hollowed roots or holes at the base of your trunk.

Infected roots can be cut and the bugs removed by a knife. There is no other effective way to control the disease.

A good offense is better than a bad defense, and healthy trees are more likely to be infested.

Hickory Horned Devil

This pest always sounds more like a high-school mascot to me (go Hickory Horned Devils! It is not an insect that wants to defoliate young persimmon trees. But Citheronia royalis is the former.

They are beautiful and are also known as royal or royal walnut moths.

They can be reddish brown or orange, with gray-green spots and yellow bands. They can reach nearly six inches in length.

They are quite beautiful looking and can grow to approximately five inches in length. The caterpillars are blue-green with orange-tipped and black-tipped Scoli. They have protruding growths that are covered in black bristles. This makes them look like a crown made of horns.

You may see black marks on their heads or lower body parts, as well as shorter black scoli throughout their bodies.

Don’t kill adult moths and caterpillars if you spot them. They are an important native American insect in the Eastern US and serve as food sources and pollinators for other animals.

How can you stop them from chewing on your trees’ leaves? If you see them on mature trees, don’t be afraid to wave at them and just leave them alone. Large trees won’t be affected by the caterpillars if they don’t lose enough foliage.

They can be removed from a young tree less than ten years of age and placed on a mature or hickory or sumac tree. These plants are also good hosts.

These caterpillars have a variety of natural predators including wasps and fly parasites.

Persimmon Psyllid

These tiny pests ( Baeoalitriozus or Trioza Diospyri ) are small black or tan insects that are about the same size as an aphid (about 0.15 inches). They can fly and jump, and secrete honeydew while sucking plant juices.

As the weather warms up, they are more common in spring. The population tends to shrink when it gets hot.

They can cause damage to American trees but not to Asian trees. The number of wasps is controlled by native predators like ants and other natural predators.

You might notice curled or distorted foliage if they cause damage.

Twig Girdler

Twig girdlers ( Oncideres. cingulata ) are tiny beetles that attack persimmons as well as hickories and Pecan trees. They also spread persimmon-wilt.

A mature female will lay eggs in the fall by girdling stems and making a circle with her fingers around the branches. The circular cut she makes allows her to lay her eggs, and the branch can eventually fall to the ground so that her offspring can get into the soil.

Gray adults measure approximately three-quarters of an in length. Their wings have two dark bands and their antennae are long.

Falling branches aren’t an issue and could be ignored if they didn’t spread disease. Unfortunately, this is not true, but it is possible to control the pest.

To kill the larvae, pick up fallen branches and burn them. If you are unable to burn the plant debris, wrap them in a plastic bag and throw them away.

However, this doesn’t prevent the disease from spreading. These bugs carry persimmon wilt and have already eaten your tree. It’s too late for them to transmit the disease to your tree.

Learn more about how to treat wilt if your tree falls.

Webworm

Webworms ( seiarctica echo ) can cause serious damage to young trees. However, older trees are more resilient.

You can easily tell if this pest is in your yard by looking for large white tent-like nests under sweetgum, pecan, and other trees.

During winter, the pests live in soil under leaf litter and pupate. They emerge as white moths in spring. They lay eggs on leaves and hatch into caterpillars, which spin silken webs.

These caterpillars build tents to protect themselves and eat the leaves within them. This can be disastrous for young trees.

This is the part that gives you the chills to write. But it’s also the best way to manage these pests.

Use a rake or a broom to sweep away the worms from the tree.

Wear a hood, I’m telling you now. You might also want to consider a hazmat suit. Although it may seem extreme, once you have a few of these fuzzy hair wigglers crawling down your back, you won’t want to play around.

After you have removed the webs, rake the soil around the tree, bagged them, or burned them. To stop them from overwintering, remove all fallen leaf litter.

Disease

American persimmons are not affected by any diseases.

Avoid combining your persimmons with mango or peach trees to help prevent diseases.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose, also known as leaf spot or anthracnose, is caused by fungi of the Colletotrichum genera. This disease can cause death in an adult tree, but it can have a negative impact on your harvest.

There will be dropping leaves and blackened foliage. You may also see lesions on bark and the foliage.

Persimmon Wilt

Remember that I said persimmons are very resistant to disease? This could be its Achilles heel. Cephalosporium Diospyri can kill a tree in a matter of months.

Wilting foliage is the first sign. It starts at the tree’s top. You’ll then see the bark begin to separate from your tree with red blisters beneath. You’ll notice black streaks in the rings if you chop the tree.

The bark eventually bursts and the spores spread to other trees.

Trees that have been damaged or harmed by twig-girdlers can be infected with this fungal disease. The bugs transmit the fungi to the trees. This disease can be prevented by controlling the insects.

To prevent the fungus from forming, cover any trees that have been damaged by pruning, weed whacking, or mowing. This is particularly important if other trees have been affected by the fungus.

To stop the fungus from spreading, it is necessary to remove infected trees and burn them. You can also remove the whole tree and compost it. However, you must not use any of the parts that aren’t needed to spread the fungus.

FAQs About How to grow persimmon from seed