Kasandra persimmon trees

• Picking season: Early
• Astringency: Astringent

Kasandra is an early-ripening persimmon - ready to harvest in October in northern France. The fruits are of a medium size, and when ripe the flesh is similar to a ripe date in texture. They are particularly sweet, and compare very well with traditional late-ripening persimmons.

Kasandra is an astringent persimmon, and after harvest the fruits need a period of 2-3 weeks to ripen off the tree. The process can be speeded-up by placing them near ripening apples, pears, or bananas, Alternatively the fruits can be left to hang on the tree into late autumn (even after the leaves have fallen), until they become soft.

Kasandra organic persimmon trees for sale

• 11 yeartree on D.lotus rootstock39.00€
  Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  

  Sold-out
• 21 yeartree on D.virginiana rootstock41.00€
  Very large tree (5m-6m+ after 10 years) supplied in a 6L pot
  

  Collection only - contact us
• 3Half-standard (2 years)tree on D.lotus rootstock49.00€
  Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  

  Collection only - contact us

Contact us if you would like to go on the waiting list for next season.

EU delivery countries

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Click here to view estimated delivery charges. We can deliver to most countries in the EU. However our 2-year trees and some pot-grown trees are too big or unsuitable for mail-order and are only available for collection direct from the nursery. Please contact us if you wish to order.

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If you do not hear from us by March you can contact us to pre-order for next autumn.

Growing and Training

Kasandra is modern hybrid variety, benefiting from the cold-hardiness of the American persimmon species Diospyros virginiana. It has some resistance to spring frosts and is suitable for growing in areas with short summers. However for best results the tree should be planted in a sheltered location in full sun.

Kasandra characteristics

• Self-fertilitySelf-fertile
• Picking seasonEarly
• Food usesEating freshCulinaryDrying
• AstringencyAstringent
• Cold hardiness (USDA)Zone 7 (-18C)
• Chill requirementLow-chill
• Flesh colourOrange
• Fruit colourOrange

More about persimmon trees

Persimmons bring an interesting dimension to the temperate fruit orchard with their bright colours and mango-like tropical flavours.

The pretty fruits ripen in October (early season) to December (late season).  Persimmon trees have an attractive stately appearance, with glossy dark green leaves which sometimes turn yellow / orange-red in the autumn, and interesting bark. 

There are many different persimmon cultivars and species, some with complicated polliination requirements - however all the persimmon varieties we sell are self-fertile, and you do not need another persimmon tree to get fruit.

Most fruiting persimmons belong to two main species - Diospyros kaki the Asian persimmon, or Diospyros virginiana the American persimmon - or are hybrids of these two species.

Persimmons are divided into astringent and non-astringent varieties. Astringent varieties are the most popular but contain tannins which make them initially unpalatable. Two methods are used to deal with the tannins. Usually the fruits are harvested when fully coloured but still firm, and then ripened off the tree for 1-2 weeks, during which time the flesh softens to a pulp and sweetens - a process sometimes known as 'bletting'. This will happen more quickly if the persimmon fruits are stored alongside ripening apples or bananas. The second method - if you are in an area with a warm autumn climate- is to leave the fruits hanging on the tree into late autumn, waiting until they become soft. Non-astringent persimmons have lower levels of tannins and can be eaten fresh off the tree.

Ripe persimmons can be kept in a fridge for a week or so, and can also be frozen.

Persimmons grow best in a warm climate, and are sensitive to early spring frosts, which may damage the fruit buds. Persimmons are grown commercially around the Mediterranean regions of Europe, particularly in Spain. The trees are hardy and will grow readily in cooler climates, but the challenge if you live in northern Europe is to ripen the fruits. Some newer varieties are more better adapted to shorter growing seasons. Conversely, if you are in a warm climate it is useful to know that most persimmons need fewer than 300 chill hours.

Persimmon trees typically reach 5m-6m in height after 5-10 years, and are planted 7m-10m apart (like a traditional standard apple or pear orchard).  Fruiting usually starts after 3-4 years. The trees are often long-lived, over 50 years is common. Commercial orchards use regular summer pruning to maintain the height at around 3m, and plant the trees 3m-4m apart. 

Rootstocks for persimmon trees

We graft our persimmon trees on rootstocks to ensure consistency. We mainly use Diospyros lotus rootstocks. This rootstock is the best choice for most situations, especially if you have good soil and irrigation, as it grows quickly to maturity and fruit production is early and heavy, and the mature height is not too big. This rootstock is not compatible with the non-astringent persimmon varieties.

We also use Diospyros virginiana rootstocks. This American species is a better choice for dry hot climates, as it resists drought, and produces a large tree. It is also very cold-hardy. However it is more difficult to use in the nursery and the tree is initially slower-growing. Fruit bud germination is typically two weeks later than the same variety grafted on the Asian species, which is useful in areas with late spring frosts. However persimmons grafted on this rootstock also tend to ripen later.