Persimmon Trees for Santa Barbara

Choosing a Persimmon Tree for Santa Barbara

Persimmon varieties can differ significantly in how their fruit ripens and is eaten, making fruit type one of the most useful things to consider when choosing a tree for your garden.

Consider these factors when choosing your persimmon tree:

• How you like to eat persimmons: Fuyu and Jiro are non-astringent varieties that can be enjoyed while the fruit is still firm. Hachiya is an astringent variety that develops its best eating quality after the fruit becomes very soft.
• Other interesting varieties: Chocolate and Coffeecake have fruit characteristics that can be influenced by pollination, making them different from the more straightforward Fuyu and Hachiya types.
• Your planting location: Persimmons perform well with plenty of sun and good drainage. Consider the available space, sun exposure, and conditions in your particular garden when choosing where to plant.
• Pollination: Persimmon pollination can be more complicated than simply deciding whether a tree is “self-pollinating.” Some varieties produce fruit without another tree, while pollination can influence seed development, flesh color, or astringency in certain cultivars. If you're considering a less familiar variety, it's worth checking its particular characteristics.