Home / Plant Library / American Persimmon
Overstory

American Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

Tree with edible fruit. One of the most reliable and low-maintenance edibles for Oklahoma — highly recommended

NativeEdibleMedicinal
At a Glance

What to know before finding it a place.

SunFull sun
WaterLow water
System layerOverstory
Plant typeTree
Plant spacing30-60 ft
Mature size30-60 ft / 20-35 ft
Chill hours100-200
Soil pH5.5-7.5
HarvestOct–Nov
Expected yieldAbundant when established
TrellisNo
Central Oklahoma

Growing notes for our conditions.

Regional fit still depends on the actual site—especially drainage, exposure, irrigation, soil and the specific cultivar selected.

Oklahoma notes

One of the most reliable and low-maintenance edibles for Oklahoma — highly recommended

Disease resistance

Essentially no pests or diseases

Pruning

Minimal; remove suckers to control spread

Care

Astringent until fully ripe (after frost); non-astringent cultivars available; long-lived

Drought tolerance

High once established

Pollination & Production

Plan the partners before planting the tree.

Pollination reference

For fruiting plants, compatible bloom timing and nearby partners can matter as much as the cultivar itself.

PollinationDioecious (most); some self-fertile
Compatible partnersPlant male + female OR use self-fertile cultivar
Variety Selection

The cultivar can matter as much as the species.

These references help narrow the large number of named varieties to options better aligned with Zone 7A conditions, disease pressure and useful harvest windows.

Zone 7A Recommended Varieties

Meader (self-fertile)YatesNC-10American (wild)Prok

These are recommendations carried in the Organix Zone 7A reference database. They are not automatically the same as a cultivar personally proven by Organix on every site; site conditions and availability still matter.

Landscape Role

How this plant can function in a larger system.

Landscape functions

Edible; Attractor

Edible parts

Fruit

Companion plants

Spicebush, Pawpaw, Elderberry

Community / companion role

Pollination: Dioecious (most); some self-fertile; Compatible partners/pollinators: Plant male + female OR use self-fertile cultivar; Companions: Spicebush, Pawpaw, Elderberry

Food-forest layer

Canopy

Oklahoma classification

Primary

Soil, Fertility & Care

Support the plant without overcomplicating the system.

Soil preferences

Preferred pH 5.5-7.5

KNF / fertility schedule

Minimal; fall IMO4

Maintenance

Minimal; remove suckers to control spread

Use this as a planning reference.

Plant performance varies with microclimate, soil, drainage, water, maintenance and cultivar. Organix uses the library to narrow good candidates, then makes final selections around the actual site.

Edible and medicinal tags describe traditional or practical plant uses in the landscape and are not medical advice. Always verify identification, preparation and individual suitability before consuming a plant.