Persimmon Seedlings (Diospyros virginiana)
Zone: 5-9 (experimental in zone 4)
Require full sun
Bare-root trees: 2’-5’+
Anticipate your first harvest in 5-7 years, a wait that's truly worth its reward. Especially when they can bear for over 100 years!
Main Point: These are the most valuable seedlings one can plant in silvopastoral or multifunctional conservation plantings and a great option for production orchards as well. Mostly feminized (~75% ’female’) seedlings that come from hardy, high yielding, high quality fruit bearing parents with a significant amount of genetic diversity!
Indigenous Importance: The archeological work done at ancient Mississippian mound sites has shown that seeds of the American Persimmon, or “Pessamin”/“Pasimenan” as they were referred to in Algonquin languages, were more abundant than any other fruit. They were eaten fresh, dried, fermented, and ground into a flour like food incorporated into breads.
Power of Persimmon Nutrition: American Persimmons are the most nutritionally dense fruits in the US. They contain 19 out of 20 essential amino acids, over 30% sugar, and significant concentrations of Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, Iron, and Zinc.
Female-Focused: We have reason to believe that about 75% of our seedlings will grow into trees laden with fruits. This is very different from most persimmon seedlings that are roughly 75% male. These seedlings come from a grafted planting with many exceptional mothers that are being pollinated by one of two different fathers that are known for creating predominantly feminized offspring. We know this because of the essential breeding and observational work of Jim Claypool, Jerry Lehman, Don Compton, and Cliff England. Cliff has 50 Prok x Szukis seedlings that have reached sexual maturity. About 75% of these seedlings are fruiting, further corroborating our understanding from several older seedling trials. It is important to have some males (generally creates more productivity in females, tastier fruit, and ability to naturalize) so in our opinion this is an incredible offering that is shifting our perspective on the viability of seedlings in conservation and agricultural settings. This is very important because most people pay $40-60 for a graft, to ensure they will have fruit bearing trees, but now there is another option!
Planning for Success: While many of the seedlings we offer may grow up to be parthenocarpic (can bear fruit without a male), planting at least 4-5 will increase your likely hood of getting one male which generally results in larger size fruits and greater overall yields.
Resilient Choice: Opt for genetic diversity and climate resilience with our improved, and largely feminized seedlings.
Tea Bonus: Enjoy young leaves as a nutritious (high in Vitamin C) and delightful springtime tea.
Seedling parents:
Prok x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Prok - “Persimmon was a seedling from Cornell University breeding program grown out by John Gordon of Amherst NY. Produces very large fruit, ripens in late August here in Kentucky, has few seeds. It is my favorite persimmon for cooking and eating out of hand. Ripens long before frost.” (copied from England’s Orchard website) Prok is a seedling of Pipher that was send from George Slate to John Gordon. An exceptional early ripening cultivar.
Labled image is courtesy of Mac Constantine, second picture with 4 fruits is our own
H-118 x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Early Jewel = H-118 – “Very Early, Large size fruit, Red colored fruit, Soft when Ripe very High-quality Fruit Precocious and a consistent producer bears seedless fruit south of the Ohio River due to it being a 90 Chromosome persimmon. Out of the Late James Claypool Breeding program, Very early, large size, reddish colored fruit, soft when ripe.” (copied from England’s Orchard website). An exceptional early ripening cultivar.
Branch laden with fruit is our picture of Don Compton’s H-118
John Rick x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
John Rick -“Acclaimed for its large, attractive fruits that are 2" in diameter and flavorful. Older bark is dark brown and broken into squares blocks. Fall color usually yellow-green or reddish purple. Needs room to grow properly - not a tree for the small yard.” (copied from the Dawes Arboretum). John Rick is an excellent mid season cultivar.
Yates x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Yates – “A favorite of many, large fruit and very flavorful, and is a very heavy producer of 2.5 inch persimmon fruits with low numbers of seed to fruit ratio, It is a favorite here at England Orchard as one of these is planted in the Yard next to our home. Discovered by Ed Yates of Kentucky.” (copied from England’s Orchard website) Yates is an excellent cultivar that ripens on the later side of early season.
Images of Yates in an egg carton and 4 fruits on a branch is courtesy of Timothy Lane
The two possible fathers of these seedlings: Szukis or Early Golden
Szukis - An excellent seedling of Early Golden with large delicious fruit and both male and female flowers. According to Don Compton, an incredible American Persimmon breeder in Indiana, Szukis is a mosaic chimera, with two distinct genomes in one. In our understanding, this means that different parts of the tree being ‘fully female’ or ‘fully male’ depending on which branch you graft.
Early Golden – This Persimmon is the original grafted persimmon from the late 1800s. It set the standard and for the past 100 years has been used as a measure for all newly developed persimmon cultivars. EG is the progenitor of the most recently developed persimmons cultivars in the Claypool and the Lehman breeding programs. (copied from England’s Orchard website). According to Don Compton, Early Golden is a polygamodioecious tree, having male, female, and hermaphrodidic flowers. As her name suggests, she is an exceptional early ripening cultivar.
Zone: 5-9 (experimental in zone 4)
Require full sun
Bare-root trees: 2’-5’+
Anticipate your first harvest in 5-7 years, a wait that's truly worth its reward. Especially when they can bear for over 100 years!
Main Point: These are the most valuable seedlings one can plant in silvopastoral or multifunctional conservation plantings and a great option for production orchards as well. Mostly feminized (~75% ’female’) seedlings that come from hardy, high yielding, high quality fruit bearing parents with a significant amount of genetic diversity!
Indigenous Importance: The archeological work done at ancient Mississippian mound sites has shown that seeds of the American Persimmon, or “Pessamin”/“Pasimenan” as they were referred to in Algonquin languages, were more abundant than any other fruit. They were eaten fresh, dried, fermented, and ground into a flour like food incorporated into breads.
Power of Persimmon Nutrition: American Persimmons are the most nutritionally dense fruits in the US. They contain 19 out of 20 essential amino acids, over 30% sugar, and significant concentrations of Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, Iron, and Zinc.
Female-Focused: We have reason to believe that about 75% of our seedlings will grow into trees laden with fruits. This is very different from most persimmon seedlings that are roughly 75% male. These seedlings come from a grafted planting with many exceptional mothers that are being pollinated by one of two different fathers that are known for creating predominantly feminized offspring. We know this because of the essential breeding and observational work of Jim Claypool, Jerry Lehman, Don Compton, and Cliff England. Cliff has 50 Prok x Szukis seedlings that have reached sexual maturity. About 75% of these seedlings are fruiting, further corroborating our understanding from several older seedling trials. It is important to have some males (generally creates more productivity in females, tastier fruit, and ability to naturalize) so in our opinion this is an incredible offering that is shifting our perspective on the viability of seedlings in conservation and agricultural settings. This is very important because most people pay $40-60 for a graft, to ensure they will have fruit bearing trees, but now there is another option!
Planning for Success: While many of the seedlings we offer may grow up to be parthenocarpic (can bear fruit without a male), planting at least 4-5 will increase your likely hood of getting one male which generally results in larger size fruits and greater overall yields.
Resilient Choice: Opt for genetic diversity and climate resilience with our improved, and largely feminized seedlings.
Tea Bonus: Enjoy young leaves as a nutritious (high in Vitamin C) and delightful springtime tea.
Seedling parents:
Prok x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Prok - “Persimmon was a seedling from Cornell University breeding program grown out by John Gordon of Amherst NY. Produces very large fruit, ripens in late August here in Kentucky, has few seeds. It is my favorite persimmon for cooking and eating out of hand. Ripens long before frost.” (copied from England’s Orchard website) Prok is a seedling of Pipher that was send from George Slate to John Gordon. An exceptional early ripening cultivar.
Labled image is courtesy of Mac Constantine, second picture with 4 fruits is our own
H-118 x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Early Jewel = H-118 – “Very Early, Large size fruit, Red colored fruit, Soft when Ripe very High-quality Fruit Precocious and a consistent producer bears seedless fruit south of the Ohio River due to it being a 90 Chromosome persimmon. Out of the Late James Claypool Breeding program, Very early, large size, reddish colored fruit, soft when ripe.” (copied from England’s Orchard website). An exceptional early ripening cultivar.
Branch laden with fruit is our picture of Don Compton’s H-118
John Rick x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
John Rick -“Acclaimed for its large, attractive fruits that are 2" in diameter and flavorful. Older bark is dark brown and broken into squares blocks. Fall color usually yellow-green or reddish purple. Needs room to grow properly - not a tree for the small yard.” (copied from the Dawes Arboretum). John Rick is an excellent mid season cultivar.
Yates x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Yates – “A favorite of many, large fruit and very flavorful, and is a very heavy producer of 2.5 inch persimmon fruits with low numbers of seed to fruit ratio, It is a favorite here at England Orchard as one of these is planted in the Yard next to our home. Discovered by Ed Yates of Kentucky.” (copied from England’s Orchard website) Yates is an excellent cultivar that ripens on the later side of early season.
Images of Yates in an egg carton and 4 fruits on a branch is courtesy of Timothy Lane
The two possible fathers of these seedlings: Szukis or Early Golden
Szukis - An excellent seedling of Early Golden with large delicious fruit and both male and female flowers. According to Don Compton, an incredible American Persimmon breeder in Indiana, Szukis is a mosaic chimera, with two distinct genomes in one. In our understanding, this means that different parts of the tree being ‘fully female’ or ‘fully male’ depending on which branch you graft.
Early Golden – This Persimmon is the original grafted persimmon from the late 1800s. It set the standard and for the past 100 years has been used as a measure for all newly developed persimmon cultivars. EG is the progenitor of the most recently developed persimmons cultivars in the Claypool and the Lehman breeding programs. (copied from England’s Orchard website). According to Don Compton, Early Golden is a polygamodioecious tree, having male, female, and hermaphrodidic flowers. As her name suggests, she is an exceptional early ripening cultivar.
Zone: 5-9 (experimental in zone 4)
Require full sun
Bare-root trees: 2’-5’+
Anticipate your first harvest in 5-7 years, a wait that's truly worth its reward. Especially when they can bear for over 100 years!
Main Point: These are the most valuable seedlings one can plant in silvopastoral or multifunctional conservation plantings and a great option for production orchards as well. Mostly feminized (~75% ’female’) seedlings that come from hardy, high yielding, high quality fruit bearing parents with a significant amount of genetic diversity!
Indigenous Importance: The archeological work done at ancient Mississippian mound sites has shown that seeds of the American Persimmon, or “Pessamin”/“Pasimenan” as they were referred to in Algonquin languages, were more abundant than any other fruit. They were eaten fresh, dried, fermented, and ground into a flour like food incorporated into breads.
Power of Persimmon Nutrition: American Persimmons are the most nutritionally dense fruits in the US. They contain 19 out of 20 essential amino acids, over 30% sugar, and significant concentrations of Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, Iron, and Zinc.
Female-Focused: We have reason to believe that about 75% of our seedlings will grow into trees laden with fruits. This is very different from most persimmon seedlings that are roughly 75% male. These seedlings come from a grafted planting with many exceptional mothers that are being pollinated by one of two different fathers that are known for creating predominantly feminized offspring. We know this because of the essential breeding and observational work of Jim Claypool, Jerry Lehman, Don Compton, and Cliff England. Cliff has 50 Prok x Szukis seedlings that have reached sexual maturity. About 75% of these seedlings are fruiting, further corroborating our understanding from several older seedling trials. It is important to have some males (generally creates more productivity in females, tastier fruit, and ability to naturalize) so in our opinion this is an incredible offering that is shifting our perspective on the viability of seedlings in conservation and agricultural settings. This is very important because most people pay $40-60 for a graft, to ensure they will have fruit bearing trees, but now there is another option!
Planning for Success: While many of the seedlings we offer may grow up to be parthenocarpic (can bear fruit without a male), planting at least 4-5 will increase your likely hood of getting one male which generally results in larger size fruits and greater overall yields.
Resilient Choice: Opt for genetic diversity and climate resilience with our improved, and largely feminized seedlings.
Tea Bonus: Enjoy young leaves as a nutritious (high in Vitamin C) and delightful springtime tea.
Seedling parents:
Prok x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Prok - “Persimmon was a seedling from Cornell University breeding program grown out by John Gordon of Amherst NY. Produces very large fruit, ripens in late August here in Kentucky, has few seeds. It is my favorite persimmon for cooking and eating out of hand. Ripens long before frost.” (copied from England’s Orchard website) Prok is a seedling of Pipher that was send from George Slate to John Gordon. An exceptional early ripening cultivar.
Labled image is courtesy of Mac Constantine, second picture with 4 fruits is our own
H-118 x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Early Jewel = H-118 – “Very Early, Large size fruit, Red colored fruit, Soft when Ripe very High-quality Fruit Precocious and a consistent producer bears seedless fruit south of the Ohio River due to it being a 90 Chromosome persimmon. Out of the Late James Claypool Breeding program, Very early, large size, reddish colored fruit, soft when ripe.” (copied from England’s Orchard website). An exceptional early ripening cultivar.
Branch laden with fruit is our picture of Don Compton’s H-118
John Rick x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
John Rick -“Acclaimed for its large, attractive fruits that are 2" in diameter and flavorful. Older bark is dark brown and broken into squares blocks. Fall color usually yellow-green or reddish purple. Needs room to grow properly - not a tree for the small yard.” (copied from the Dawes Arboretum). John Rick is an excellent mid season cultivar.
Yates x Szukis or Early Golden: Seedlings from grafted trees pollinated by Szukis or Early Golden, the only two pollen producing trees at a production orchard in Indiana. It is likely that these seedlings will produce roughly 75% fruiting trees due to influence of the two possible pollenators.
Yates – “A favorite of many, large fruit and very flavorful, and is a very heavy producer of 2.5 inch persimmon fruits with low numbers of seed to fruit ratio, It is a favorite here at England Orchard as one of these is planted in the Yard next to our home. Discovered by Ed Yates of Kentucky.” (copied from England’s Orchard website) Yates is an excellent cultivar that ripens on the later side of early season.
Images of Yates in an egg carton and 4 fruits on a branch is courtesy of Timothy Lane
The two possible fathers of these seedlings: Szukis or Early Golden
Szukis - An excellent seedling of Early Golden with large delicious fruit and both male and female flowers. According to Don Compton, an incredible American Persimmon breeder in Indiana, Szukis is a mosaic chimera, with two distinct genomes in one. In our understanding, this means that different parts of the tree being ‘fully female’ or ‘fully male’ depending on which branch you graft.
Early Golden – This Persimmon is the original grafted persimmon from the late 1800s. It set the standard and for the past 100 years has been used as a measure for all newly developed persimmon cultivars. EG is the progenitor of the most recently developed persimmons cultivars in the Claypool and the Lehman breeding programs. (copied from England’s Orchard website). According to Don Compton, Early Golden is a polygamodioecious tree, having male, female, and hermaphrodidic flowers. As her name suggests, she is an exceptional early ripening cultivar.