American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

We grow American Persimmon for its exceptional late-season flavor, cold-climate resilience, and minimal maintenance needs. Once established, it produces reliably each year and adds diversity to northern orchards with a fruit few growers have access to. Its toughness, pest resistance, and strong four-season presence make it an easy, long-term addition to food forests and homestead plantings.

30 Feet at maturity with a similar spread. Fast growing in warmer climates. While they are not cold hardy enough for all Canadian hardiness zones if you live near a zone 5 they are worth a shot. If you’re in zone 4 try planting it in a heavily protected area from desiccating winds but please know this is a risk. Persimmon is in the ebony family and roots are black (not dead!). Slow to break dormancy, especially after transplanting.

Size at Maturity- Understory Layer. American persimmon matures to 35-60 ft tall and 20-35 ft wide, depending on growing conditions.

Current Size- 1 Year Old Seedling 1'-2' tall with large taproot

American Persimmon is naturally disease-resistant and very low maintenance. Hardy northern seedling lines tolerate cold down to around –30°C, making them suitable for sheltered Canadian sites. Fruits ripen late, often after frost, turning soft, sweet, and deeply flavorful. The species is dioecious, with separate male and female trees, though some seedlings may produce occasional perfect flowers. Fruit is excellent fresh, dried, or baked into traditional puddings and breads.