Diospyros

The extensive genus Persimmon, or Diospyros, includes about 500 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs with whole leaves. The flowers are small, in small axillary bundles or solitary. The fruit is a spherical single-or multi-seeded berry. The most common type is eastern persimmon (Diospyros kaki), a dioecious (sometimes monoecious) plant. It is grown as a fruit and ornamental crop - the autumn color of leaves and ripe fruits is beautiful. The trunk is erect with dark bark, often finely cracked. The leaves are ovate, dark green and glossy on the upper side, grayish on the lower side, and in autumn they turn orange-yellow and purplish-red. The flowers are pale yellow in color, blooming in May-June. Flowers are unisexual (dioecious plants) or polygamous. Grow, as a rule, plants with female flowers, on which edible fruits are formed. They are pollinated in the usual way and by forming a partheno-carpia (without fertilization). In fruits of the second type, seeds are absent, they have a more pointed shape, orange-yellow, and not brownish-red color, like fruits formed on the site of pollinated flowers. Many fruit varieties are grown.

The extensive genus Persimmon, or Diospyros, includes about 500 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs with whole leaves. The flowers are small, in small axillary bundles or solitary. The fruit is a spherical single-or multi-seeded berry.

The most common type is eastern persimmon (Diospyros kaki), a dioecious (sometimes monoecious) plant. It is grown as a fruit and ornamental crop - the autumn color of leaves and ripe fruits is beautiful. The trunk is erect with dark bark, often finely cracked. The leaves are ovate, dark green and glossy on the upper side, grayish on the lower side, and in autumn they turn orange-yellow and purplish-red. The flowers are pale yellow in color, blooming in May-June. Flowers are unisexual (dioecious plants) or polygamous. Grow, as a rule, plants with female flowers, on which edible fruits are formed. They are pollinated in the usual way and by forming a partheno-carpia (without fertilization). In fruits of the second type, seeds are absent, they have a more pointed shape, orange-yellow, and not brownish-red color, like fruits formed on the site of pollinated flowers. Many fruit varieties are grown.

Cultivation

Persimmon is cultivated in the open ground; planted in a permanent place in autumn (in a mild climate) or in spring, in fertile, moist, well-drained (does not tolerate stagnant water) soil, when planting, it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers (3-4 kg per plant). In spring and summer, once every 30-40 days, a mineral complex fertilizer in the amount of 20-30 g per bucket is added to the water for watering the planted seedlings. Only young plants are pruned if they want to give the tree a certain shape. In adult plants, it is enough to remove dry and damaged branches, sometimes only shorten them branches in spring, which helps to improve branching. Plants begin to bear fruit in 3-4 years after planting finally in the ground.

Location

Persimmon prefers a place in the open sun, although it is suitable for partial shade. It is important that it is protected from cold winds.

Temperature

Adult plants are resistant to changes in air temperature. Young plants should be covered for the winter or mulch the soil surface at the base of trees.

Watering

Plants are watered (avoiding stagnation of water) immediately after planting in the ground, young specimens – during a prolonged drought.

Reproduction

To preserve certain properties of persimmon varieties, they usually resort to breeding by grafting in early spring. Planting at the final planting site is carried out in a year.

Diseases

Larvae of the odorous woodworm (Cossus cossus) gnaw through passages in the trunk. They are pulled out from the inside with a long wire with a hook at the end or treated with so-called straw against moths. Worms are eliminated with the help of anticoccidal drugs. The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) can cause damage to the fruit crop. Appropriate insecticides are used in this case. Root rot is a particularly dangerous disease, most often occurring when growing on waterlogged or poorly drained soils. In these conditions, fungal lesions occur, including honey mushroom (Armillaria mellea). This can only be prevented by planting plants in suitable soil. If the damage is significant and the plants die, they should be removed. The dark white Verticillium albo-atrum fungus causes extensive blotches. You can only discard the affected parts. The same applies to cancer of branches, and to spots on leaves.

Fruits that are not eaten immediately after harvesting Persimmon fruits are harvested in October-November, when they turn an intense yellow color, but still hard. Because of the high content of tannins, they cannot be eaten immediately, but only after the so-called overripe, which occurs naturally, if you do not touch the fruits for several weeks. This process slows down in the cold and accelerates if persimmons are stored together with other fruits (for example, apples).

Fruits that are not eaten immediately after harvesting

Persimmon fruits are harvested in October-November, when they turn an intense yellow color, but still hard. Because of the high content of tannins, they cannot be eaten immediately, but only after the so-called overripe, which occurs naturally, if you do not touch the fruits for several weeks. This process slows down in the cold and accelerates if persimmons are stored together with other fruits (for example, apples).