Persimmon, Asian

A "heavenly" tasting fruit, you may know it from one of the cultivated varieties ('Triumph') under the name Sharon (fruit). They resemble a tomato with the characteristic four-lobed calyx (usually already dried out upon purchase). After harvesting, the fruits need to ripen until they are completely soft, then the tannin (astringent!) will have disappeared. A nice shrub for a pot, after the yellow bloom, the fruit will ripen in winter when the shrub is already bare. During this period, place it in a light, but not too warm, spot. Afterwards, keep it cool for bud formation. Make sure there are several plants in your garden, as (seed-grown) both female and male plants are needed for fruit set. They bloom on one-year-old wood; male flowers grow in clusters of 3, female flowers grow solitarily in the leaf axils. The plant must be kept in a frost-free shed during harsh winters to prevent freezing. The leaves of the shrub to small tree show beautiful autumn colours! In Asia, the wood of the tree is used for, among other things, furniture manufacturing.

Names:
Latin: Diospyros rhombifolia
Dutch: Kakipruim, Aziatische
Also known as: Aziatische Persimoen
English: Asian Persimmon