Persimmon (American)
Diospyros virginianaTree with edible fruit. Native; extremely drought-tolerant once established; excellent for food forests
What to know before finding it a place.
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
Native; extremely drought-tolerant once established; excellent for food forests
Disease resistance
Extremely hardy; virtually no disease or pest pressure
Pruning
Minimal pruning; remove suckers; shape young trees
Care
Astringent when unripe; harvest after first frost or when fully soft
Drought tolerance
Moderate to high once established
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.
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
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.
Compare the varieties we have reference data for.
Open a cultivar to compare chill requirement, frost timing, harvest, heat and drought response, quality, strengths and cautions. A “Zone 7A Recommended” badge identifies cultivars also present in the recommendation list above.
Meader★★★★★ Zone 7A Recommended Sep–Oct
Self-fertile; native-adjacent; zero pest and disease issues; superb for food forests
Astringent until fully soft; plant in permanent location — deep taproot resists transplanting
Yates★★★★★ Zone 7A Recommended Oct–Nov
Top-rated American persimmon for OK; exceptional flavor; native adaptation
Needs male pollinator unless using Meader; very astringent before full ripeness
NC-10★★★★★ Zone 7A Recommended Oct
Largest-fruited American persimmon; good for clients wanting larger yields
Plant male pollinator nearby for reliable production
How this plant can function in a larger system.
Landscape functions
Edible; Attractor; Nitrogen Fixer
Edible parts
Fruit
Companion plants
Spicebush, Pawpaw, Wild Ginger
Community / companion role
Pollination: Dioecious (M+F trees needed); some varieties self-fertile; Companions: Spicebush, Pawpaw, Wild Ginger
Food-forest layer
Canopy
Oklahoma classification
Primary
Good establishment starts at planting.
The workbook’s installation guidance is surfaced here when a plant has a specific crew reference.
Support the plant without overcomplicating the system.
Soil preferences
Preferred pH 5.5-7.5
KNF / fertility schedule
Minimal; fall IMO4 top-dress
Maintenance
Minimal pruning; remove suckers; shape young trees
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.