A Sweet Fruit to Bridge the Holidays

Retail marketing in the 21^st century has occasionally strange and odd juxtapositions of merchandise which have some shoppers scratching their heads. For example, on the shelves currently are about 20 different cream-of-mushroom soups from a famous brand.

There is the usual fat free variety, but there is also the gluten free, heart healthy, low salt, and organically grown mushrooms in these canned goods. A buyer may wonder if the original recipe for this pantry staple is high in sodium and dangerously heart hazardous, with the mushrooms grown at an abandoned nuclear test site.

Adding to the list of curious shelf combos, Halloween and Christmas merchandise are on display in the home goods section. Possibly a thrifty shopper could cover both color schemes with orange and green ornaments in a tree?

A fruit tree may have the decorating solution to this holiday conundrum.

Some Japanese Persimmons have the shape and size of Christmas tree ornaments, but other cultivars have different shapes. The ripe fruit is as sweet as any Halloween candy.

The Japanese persimmon is a species related to native persimmons (Diospyros virginiana), but it originated in China and Japan. This tree from east Asia can grow to about 30 feet at maturity.

It is an excellent tree for fruit production and ornamental use as a specimen in the home landscape. Unlike other fruit trees native to those northern latitudes, the persimmon has very limited chill hour requirements and fruits very well here.

The tree is quite a striking sight when leaves have fallen in autumn, displaying the bright yellow-orange fruit throughout the canopy. The distinct appearance cannot be confused with any other fruit tree in the area.

Similar to the native persimmon, its preference is for a moist, well-drained soil in full sun locations. The tree has good drought tolerance and will flourish in most panhandle Florida soils.

Persimmon trees have low salt tolerance and are not recommended for coastal planting.

The Japanese persimmon develops an attractive fall color much like Florida maples. The circular canopy and open branches make a distinct contrast to many other trees in the landscape or orchard.

The placement of the tree can be problematic because the two-to-four-inch diameter fruit can be a big mess when they fall from the tree. A good alternative if in a home landscape is to pick the fruit off the tree when it is mature, but not quite ripe.

Much like tomatoes and bananas, persimmons will ripen off the tree if they have been picked mature green. They should be left at room temperature, but not refrigerated or placed in direct sunlight.

The ripe fruit is very sweet and juicy. The flavor is unique, and the fruit’s texture is similar to an overripe banana.

They produce light orange persimmons when the fruit is mature and soften when ripe with a yield of about ten bushels per tree.

Some sources indicate they may be consumed when mature, but not quite ripe. At that stage they are dryer and may have a hint of astringency in the flavor.

While not the best selection as a street or parking lot tree, the Japanese persimmon is an excellent selection in an ornamental landscape or in a dooryard orchard.

If the tree is primarily an ornamental, locate it in a loose, low-growing groundcover so dropping fruit will be hidden from view in the foliage of the groundcover.

If the homeowner does not care for the fruit, perhaps trick-or-treaters can pick one of the Christmas ornament shaped orbs with the Halloween coloring.