Persimmons for sale in NY?

[Spur]

I was wandering around a local Walmart today and noticed the Chestnut leaf, so I walked over to inspect the trees. As I was walking towards them (chestnuts) I noticed a bunch of trees that had an apple leaf look. I thought it was odd for them to have apple trees inside. I flipped the tag and those trees and it said Chestnut Hill tree farm persimmon. I had a persimmon before and it tasted horrible and I would have to think the deer would eat them as a last resort to apples. And more, I couldn't believe they are trying to market persimmons that aren't cold hardy in the north.

I think Chestnut Hill should be ashamed of themselves for selling/shipping these trees up north. But, I would expect Walmart to be irresponsible enough to sell them. I hope whomever purchases them gets a warranty and claims the warranty next spring.

 

[mikmaze]

American persimmon is hardy to zone 4, great trees, the fruit sweetens after it freezes, damn good treat to find and deer love them.

 

[chickenlittle]

Spur,

There is a guy that runs a permaculture based farm and nursery to the north of us that sells persimmon seedlings. I don't know if he has producing trees. His website says he grows from seed from a NY source that has survived -30F. He is probably zone 5a. http://www.twisted-tree.net/trees/persimmon

If I buy some land here in NY's southern tier, I would plant some persimmons but I would not have high hopes. And I would not buy expensive trees but plant cheap seedlings and graft some. I do have producing trees about 75 miles to the south in PA. That is zone 6A.

 

[Spur]

Everything I have heard, persimmons won't survive our winters. I lost some apple trees to the cold a few years ago so there is no chance they will survive in the Southern Tier.

 

[chickenlittle]

The was a professor at Cornell, MacDaniels, that planted many species on a plot on the campus in the 1930s. Down behind the apple orchard. It was mostly nut trees but he also planted persimmon and paw paw. The Cornell page about it says persimmons are still there although I have not found them in my visits. I gathered paw paw seed there. The lake probably keeps that site is a little warmer than us. The Cornell page says a -35F winter wiped out most of the Chinese chestnuts he planted.

You are probably right that most persimmons would not survive. But the right seedlings might. Deer visit our persimmon tree down in PA in December looking for any new drops. With seedlings 25 cents each from Missouri, I would plant a few if I had space up here.

 

[TCW]

I planted 5 grafted American Persimmon trees in April 2015 here in northern Cayuga County NY. The trees are going great! It will probably be another 2-3 years before I find out if they will have any fruit.

 

[greyphase]

I have persimmon growing in zone 6A. The thing I don't like about them is they are either male or female trees. I have 2 nice sized trees but they both turned out to be males, so no fruit. Have about 10 more seedlings growing so should be some females in the mix, but it will be several more years before they fruit. I did buy 2 grafted Meader persimmons, one died but the other started bearing fruit last year and grafted trees are pricey.

 

[chickenlittle]

Grey, I should have bunch of scionwood available next year if you want to graft.

 

[chickenlittle]

I planted 5 grafted American Persimmon trees in April 2015 here in northern Cayuga County NY. The trees are going great! It will probably be another 2-3 years before I find out if they will have any fruit.

TCW, I assume that puts you close to lake Ontario. Are you zone 6a or 5b?

 

[yoderjac]

A buddy of mine has property here an in MN. He is trying to develop cold hardy persimmons. He has found some producing trees pretty far north. He plans to try crossbreeding and selecting seedlings for cold hardiness and production. I think it is a very ambitious project. I don't know if it will succeed and I'll probably be dead by the time anyone knows.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Spur

I bought 10 American Persimmon from Chestnut Hill and 8 of the 10 I got for 75 bucks have already leafed out in a 5 gallon bucket I have at my cabin. I tried persimmons because I had one in Italy years ago and they were awesome. Fruit is so sweet so I don't know if these will be as sweet but I am hoping. Will let you know how they do right down the street from you

 

[TCW]

TCW, I assume that puts you close to lake Ontario. Are you zone 6a or 5b?

I am 1 mile from the lake, right on the line of 6a and 5b