Anyone have seeds of Diospryros texana, Texas Persimmon?

[botanical pilot]

Anyone have some seeds of this species they'd be willing to sell me? I've heard they taste like black sapote, but can handle freezing temperatures, partial shade, and drought.

[SilverSapote]

They're just starting to ripen on the trees in central Texas this time of year. I haven't had black sapote yet so I can't compare the taste. Being in the area for the first time, I've only had a few so far. They tend to have a mild, floral persimmon flavor combined with blackberry but without the acidity. Not bad at all for a wild fruit, though I can see that the seed-to-flesh ratio is why it's recommended to strain them in bulk to make jellies and jams. Fruits do ripen fine off the tree if picked when green but only if at mature size.

I went out and bought a 3ft. female tree from a local nursery that specializes in native plants. Pollination shouldn't be an issue with male trees in the region. In hard clay, alkaline ground with no amendments since this past June and it has done well in the scorching 100+ F dry summer in full sun. Even sent out a couple new taproots.

Sent you a PM about seeds.

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Fruit + seeds (water bottle for scale)


Young tree (3ft.)

[Pokeweed]

May I ask what nursery you got your tree from? Is it the one in Leander that I can't recall the name of at the moment? Thanks, D

[SilverSapote]

May I ask what nursery you got your tree from? Is it the one in Leander that I can't recall the name of at the moment? Thanks, D

Hill Country Gardens in New Braunfels. There were two in stock, both female and the same height.

[Pokeweed]

Thanks! I may pay them a visit. D

[SilverSapote]

Found a new nursery that carries them since I last posted. Rainbow Gardens in San Antonio. They have two locations. The one I went to was their Thousand Oaks site and they had at least four mature trees that were about 8ft. with some bearing fruit - a sure way of knowing you're getting a female.

[Bartacomus]

Are Black Sapote not self fertile?

i always wanted to grow a Mamey or a Wild Cali Black here in SE Texas. How long to fruit bearing age?

[Pokeweed]

Bartacomus- I misread your post. Thought you were still talking about diospyros texana. I don't know about black sapote.
No. Male and female. My one mature tree is male. It puts on flowers that point downward and the females make upturned flowers. I'm hoping some of my smaller ones will be female!
My fuyus are all female but still set fruit.....D

[Bartacomus]

Thats breaks my heart about both..  my track record is usually.. 5 dead trees, 1 really happy one.  maybe you can put out an add like dog owners do.  "fruit trees to pollinate, 10% stud fee"

[Pokeweed]

I have some small seedlings in pots. I'd love to trade. D PM me.