Persimmons: Fuyu vs Hachiya, When They Are Ripe, and How to Grow Them

By Richard Flowers, ACCNP, Green Thumb Nursery, Ventura

I still remember my first bite of persimmon bread. A customer brought a few slices into the nursery to share, moist, soft, and delicious, and told me it came from a Hachiya persimmon tree she had bought from us years earlier, along with a Fuyu for fresh eating. I was hooked, and every fall I wait patiently for persimmon season. If you have ever wondered what the difference is between those two kinds of persimmons, what a “green” one is, or how to grow your own, here is everything you need to know.

What Is a Persimmon?

The Oriental persimmon, Diospyros kaki, is a sweet fruit that looks a bit like a large orange tomato when it is ripe. Botanically it is a berry, not a stone fruit, so there is no hard pit inside, just a few flat seeds or sometimes none at all (NC State Extension). The genus name Diospyros is often translated as “food of the gods,” which tells you how much this fruit has been prized through history. It has been grown and selected in China, Korea, and Japan for over a thousand years, where it is called kaki, and there are more than a thousand named cultivars, though only a handful are sold here. The Oriental types are the ones that thrive in the mild climate of Southern California.

Fuyu vs Hachiya: the Two Types You Will See

Oriental persimmons fall into two groups: those that bear astringent fruit, which must be soft-ripe before you eat them, and those that bear nonastringent fruit, which you can eat while still firm (California Rare Fruit Growers). An easy way to remember the two most common kinds is that Fuyu is flat on the bottom and Hachiya is more rounded and acorn-shaped.

Variety	Shape	Astringency	How to eat	Notes
Fuyu (Jiro)	Flat and squat, like a tomato	Non-astringent	Eat firm and crisp, like an apple (or let it soften)	Often called the “California persimmon”; keeps for weeks; ripens in late October
Hachiya	Acorn-shaped, rounded and pointed	Astringent until fully ripe	Eat only when completely soft and jelly-like	Puckers the mouth if eaten early; excellent for baking and drying

Fuyu is the one most people picture: a firm persimmon you can slice and eat like an apple, and it is self-fruitful, meaning it does not need a second tree to set fruit (University of Georgia Extension). Hachiya is the classic baking persimmon, the one in that persimmon bread, but you have to be patient and wait until it is truly soft. Beyond these two you may run across specialty types like Chocolate, Coffeecake, and Maru, which are harder to find.

What Is a Green Persimmon?

A “green persimmon” is simply an unripe one, and this is where the astringency really matters. An astringent variety like Hachiya is quite tart and will pucker your mouth until it is fully ripe, because of soluble tannins; once it ripens and softens, those tannins drop away and the flesh turns sweet and juicy (University of Illinois Extension). That is why biting into an under-ripe Hachiya is such an unpleasant surprise. A Fuyu, being non-astringent, is much more forgiving and can be enjoyed while it is still firm, so a slightly green Fuyu is far less of a problem than a green Hachiya.

When Is Persimmon Season?

Persimmons are a fall and early-winter fruit. Depending on the variety and the region, they generally ripen from late summer into early December, with Fuyu typically coming in around late October and the harvest extending late into the fall (NC State Extension). That autumn timing, when the tree drops its leaves and the bright orange fruit hangs on the bare branches, is part of what makes the persimmon such a beloved seasonal tree.

How to Tell When a Persimmon Is Ripe (and How to Eat It)

Harvest persimmons when they are fully colored but still firm, and do not pull them off the tree. Instead, cut them from the branch with hand-held pruning shears, leaving the calyx (the leafy cap) and a short piece of stem attached (California Rare Fruit Growers). From there, it depends on the type. A Fuyu is ready to eat when it is firm and crisp, and it will keep for weeks. A Hachiya is only ready when it is completely soft, almost like jelly inside its skin; if you pick it firm, simply let it ripen off the tree at room temperature until it gives completely. Once ripe, persimmons are wonderful fresh in salads or on their own, baked into breads, cakes, cookies, and puddings, and they also freeze and dry beautifully for storing through the winter.

How to Grow a Persimmon Tree in Southern California

Persimmons are one of the easier and more rewarding fruit trees for a Southern California garden. The tree is deciduous, reaching around 20 to 30 feet tall and about as wide, with clean, large, dark green leaves that turn a brilliant crimson in fall, and it is relatively problem-free aside from the occasional mealybug or scale tied to ants (California Rare Fruit Growers). If that size is too much for your space, you can prune it shorter or even espalier it against a wall. Plant it in full sun with some air movement, since inland trees fruit best in full sun though they will take a little partial shade. Persimmons adapt to a wide range of soils as long as the ground is not overly salty, but they do best in a deep, well-drained loam.

One quirk worth knowing: the persimmon has a low chilling requirement, under about 100 hours, so it can break dormancy during an early warm spell and then risk damage from a later frost, though it usually blooms late enough (around April) to miss frost in most areas. Water young and bearing trees slowly and deeply, out toward the drip line rather than at the trunk, and go easy on fertilizer. Too much nitrogen combined with too much water, which is exactly what happens to a persimmon planted in a lawn, is the most common cause of immature fruit drop. Orchard trees begin bearing in their third or fourth year and reach full production in about ten, and a well-cared-for persimmon can live for decades. Our guide to keeping fruit trees small can help you manage the size, and if you are getting trees ready for the cold months, see our guide to preparing fruit trees to go dormant.

Are Persimmons Good for You?

They are a genuinely nutritious fruit. Japanese persimmons are a good source of dietary fiber and of vitamins A and C (UF/IFAS Extension), which makes that sweet fall fruit a wholesome addition to the table as well as a beautiful tree in the yard.

Why Are Persimmons More Expensive?

Gardeners often notice that persimmon trees cost a bit more than other fruit trees, and the reason is propagation. Oriental persimmons are usually propagated by grafting onto a seedling rootstock, commonly Diospyros lotus in California, and some rootstock and cultivar combinations are not fully compatible (for example with Fuyu), which complicates things (California Rare Fruit Growers). In my experience growing them, the grafts can be slow and a fair share do not take, and persimmons do not root readily from cuttings, so producing a sellable tree takes more time and effort than it does for many other fruits. The payoff is a long-lived, low-maintenance, beautiful tree once it is in the ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a persimmon?

A persimmon is a sweet, orange fall fruit from the tree Diospyros kaki. Botanically it is a berry rather than a stone fruit, with a few flat seeds or none, and it ranges from greenish when unripe to a rich orange when ready to eat. The Oriental types are the ones grown in Southern California.

What is the difference between Fuyu and Hachiya?

Fuyu is flat and squat and non-astringent, so you can eat it firm and crisp like an apple. Hachiya is acorn-shaped and astringent, so it must be completely soft and jelly-like before it is edible or it will pucker your mouth. Fuyu is best for fresh eating; Hachiya is the classic baking persimmon.

What is a green persimmon?

A green persimmon is just an unripe one. In astringent types like Hachiya, an unripe fruit is full of tannins that make it tart and mouth-puckering; as it ripens and softens, the tannins fade and the flesh turns sweet. A Fuyu is non-astringent, so a firm, slightly green Fuyu is still pleasant to eat.

Are persimmons a stone fruit?

No. A persimmon is botanically a berry, not a stone fruit, so it has no hard central pit, only a few small flat seeds or none at all. Stone fruits like peaches and plums are a completely different group.

When is persimmon season?

Persimmon season runs through the fall into early winter. Most varieties ripen from late summer to early December, with Fuyu usually coming in around late October. The fruit is picked when fully colored but still firm.

How do you tell when a persimmon is ripe, and how do you eat it?

A Fuyu is ripe when it is fully colored and firm, and you eat it crisp like an apple. A Hachiya is only ripe when it is completely soft, so let it soften off the tree before eating it fresh or baking with it. Harvest both by clipping the fruit with shears and leaving the calyx attached, rather than pulling.

How long does a persimmon tree live?

Persimmon trees are long-lived, often producing for decades, and a healthy, well cared for tree keeps going for many years. They begin bearing in their third or fourth year and reach full production around ten years.

Sources

• NC State Extension, Diospyros kaki (Fuyu)
• California Rare Fruit Growers, Persimmon Fruit Facts
• University of Georgia Extension, Home Garden Persimmons
• University of Illinois Extension, Persistent Persimmons
• UF/IFAS Extension, Japanese Persimmon (HS1487)

Persimmon season is one of the best parts of fall. Stop by your favorite Green Thumb Nursery location, where we carry a good selection of Fuyu, Hachiya, and other persimmon trees along with the fruit trees and advice to round out your garden. Our team can help you pick the right variety for your space and get it off to a strong start.

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