Persimons kaki hurmikaki
Fruit of the Gods
Kaki also called Hurmi kaki, persimmon or churma comes from East Asia, but the exact origin is unknown. It was already known to the ancient Greeks, who named it Diospyros, which means fruit of the gods. Although it resembles a tomato, it has nothing to do with it. Kaki persimmons are the fruits of the tomato ebony tree (Diospyros kaki), which, in addition to the sweet-tasting fruits reminiscent of apples, melons and apricots, stands out for its very hard and heavy wood - black ebony.
How to know which persimmons to grow?
The varietal composition of the persimmon is very wide and almost 900 varieties have been described to date. Varieties of Japanese persimmon, virgin persimmon, or hybrids of Caucasian persimmon and virgin persimmon are grown. How do they differ from each other? The Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is the most delicate, so it is mostly only grown as a container plant. On the other hand, Japanese persimmon produces the largest and tastiest fruits.
The virgin persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is also suitable for planting in the garden, as it tolerates frost even at minus 25° C. However, the fruits are very small, no more than five centimeters in diameter, and of significantly lower quality compared to the Japanese persimmon. In the garden, the virgin persimmon is used more as a solitary woody plant than as a utility plant.
Caucasian persimmon or common persimmon (Diospyros lotus) is mostly used as a rootstock for grafting Japanese persimmon, as its property is high resistance to frost.
In stores, we usually come across seedlings of Japanese persimmon cultivars, which are able to overwinter even in our conditions and at the same time guarantee high-quality fruits.
Hurmi kaki is hardy, but also delicate
Surprisingly, the exotic tree thrives even in our conditions, for example, where kiwis are successfully grown, and with good care, it pays off with a rich harvest. We choose the most sunny location with the greatest possible heat accumulation, for example near the wall of the house. The more sheltered from the wind we choose, the better. We can improve the soil by adding a standard gardening substrate. Regular watering is needed during drier periods and the first two to three years after planting. Most varieties are self-pollinating, so one plant is enough to produce fruit. Normal fertilizing with trace element content (Cererit, Kristalon) is sufficient for nutrition. Pests do not attack the plant in our conditions, because its native pests do not live here. After planting on the site, it is advisable to protect the plant slightly during the winter for at least the first year - e.g. It is also necessary to protect the trunk against the winter sun, especially from the south side. Lime coating is not enough, so we protect the trunk with a double layer of white non-woven fabric stretched between two bamboo sticks or a board resting on the trunk.
When will we harvest?
Flowering occurs in the second half of May and lasts 2 to 3 weeks. In case of frost damage, the tree reliably regenerates, but without flowering.
The fruits ripen in late September to October. Unripe fruits are inedible, bitter. The easiest and most reliable way is to freeze the fruit. In this state, they can be left on the tree until Christmas or let them "run out" together with the apples at room temperature.
Persimmon persimmon from seeds
If you decide to grow "from seed", you should stratify the seeds in the refrigerator and sow them in February in a substrate rich in nutrients to a depth of 4 to 5 cm. It will germinate in about a month, but be prepared for the seedlings to grow very slowly. You will have to wait three to four years before planting in the garden and a little longer for the fruits. Seedlings bear fruit very late, and you don't know what taste characteristics the fruits will have. For this reason, growers prefer to buy tried-and-tested grafted varieties, where fertility is guaranteed in our conditions.