While I was in southern Illinois week before last chasing my roots, I picked a persimmon from a tree that was on land my great grandfather used to own. I would like to try to grow a tree from them. Anything special I need to know in growing a persimmon tree from seed? This was a very old tree so I am sure it was not a grafted tree if they even graft persimmons. I have dried the seeds. Should I wait till spring to plant them? Would it be best to start them in a pot? Do I need more than one tree to get fruit (for pollination)? Do the seed need any special treatment before planting? Thanks for any info you can give me and God bless you all.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), October 27, 2000

Answers

The thing about growing persimmons from seed is that they don't exactly breed true, that is what you end up with might be quite the same variety as the tree that you picked the fruit from. Some trees are self fruitfull and so don't need a pollinator, some are not, and so do need a pollinator. Best to plant a few to be on the safe side. Was the fruit good and soft when you picked it? If not the seeds inside might not be fully developed, and so might not sprout. I'm not sure if they need a cold cycle to break dormancy or not. I too will be planting some persimmon seeds this spring, and I plan to keep my seeds over winter in an unheated out-building to make sure they get chilled. You could also keep them in the fridge for a month or two, I have heard that will work too. I live in Southern Illinois, where were you visiting if you don't mind my asking? If you need more persimmon seeds I would be glad to send you some. Just last weekend we found some more very nice persimmon trees just loaded with fruit. Les

-- Les (lvaughn@suntransformer.com), October 27, 2000.

Les, thanks for the info. Yes, fortunately the persimmon I picked was very ripe, in fact so ripe, it got squashed on the way home! I will try your suggestions with the seeds. I was around Shawneetown, Alton area and Patoka over by Carlysle Lake. Actually Patoka was where I got the seeds. My father was born there and my ggrandfather had a farm there and the house is still standing. Was really neat to see. Would love to have gone through the house but they said the people who were living there were not friendly and they had the land posted no-trespassing. I think it is neat that the persimmon seeds came from the land my ggrandfather used to live on. My nephew now owns part of that land but he couldn't buy the part the house is on, unfortunately.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), October 27, 2000.

You need to plant two persimmons trees for proper pollination.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), October 27, 2000.

Thanks Cindy, I'll "yak" at you later!

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), October 27, 2000.

I love persimmons, but didn't have room for another tree (Sorry to say I live in town at this time.) My parents, 330 miles away, in central TX don't like persimmons, but have room. So they planted a tree for me and it has already born persimmons. Amaazing to see this little tree with no leaves covered with persimmons. If I can't get down there at the right time, she mails them to me. Once I got a carton of them at a produce stand for $5.00. Nothing better!!

-- connie in NM (karrelandconnie@juno.com), October 27, 2000.

starting from seed -first don't dry them.Moist-encased fruits like to stay moist. I cleaned them, then put them in moist sand & in frig.

You can put them in a nursery bed or pots sunk in the ground,right now & nature will stratify them,for you.Should be thick as all get out come spring. I'd say plan to plant 6 trees ,some will be male some female ,some nice fruit some smaller.Then cut out the males except for one.Sorry guys, but nature does seem to make more of you than is needed!!!

Another way is to find a great tree and graft on a scion from it, to you new root stock,just like apples.

I have them come in wild like crazy in the pasture here in eastern KY. Cows ate them then shot them out the other end, and now a thicket. So I guess that would a possible "treatment" They do bear amazingly young as well.I have one great one by the house. Persimmon pie is yummy!!!

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), October 27, 2000.