The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: lycheeluva on February 29, 2012, 04:03:51 PM
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I have only ever eaten store bought persimons, none of which I would rate more than a 2-3 out of 10.
But I hear many people rave about them- are persimons a fruit like apricot which taste terrible, store bought, but which are great straight off the tree. difficult for me to envisage a persimon tasting exciting. am i wrong peeps?
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I have had some freshly picked persimmons that were pretty good. I'm not a big fan of the consistancy of the ripe fruit. The flavor of the non-astringent cultivars is pleasant. No, it'll never move Mauritius lychee from its position in your mind's taste buds, but persimmons are worth growing. I did have some dried whole persimmons that a friend let me try. He bought them while visiting China. I actually liked the consistancy and flavor better as dried fruit than I do as a fresh fruit.
Harry
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harry- we are in total agreement- i also found the texture of the fresh fruit a little off-putting, and I also found the dried fruit to be better tasting than the fresh- though, tell me if you found the same thing- i found that the dried fruit had a very savory rather than fruity taste.
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I have only ever eaten store bought persimons, none of which I would rate more than a 2-3 out of 10.
But I hear many people rave about them- are persimons a fruit like apricot which taste terrible, store bought, but which are great straight off the tree. difficult for me to envisage a persimon tasting exciting. am i wrong peeps?
Very wrong in my opinion, its a top tier cultivated fruit. You need good varieties of fresh organic Persimmon to really enjoy this great fruit.
There are two different types the astringent and the non astringent. I personally prefer the non astringent because I have versatility of eating (hard like a apple or soft and mushy). I like the non astringent slightly soft.
I went to a persimmon tasting last year and my favorites were;
Maru (Excellent sweet taste with complexity)
Nishimura wase (excellent sweet taste)
Hachiya (a good astringent variety)
2 years ago I had a Giant Fuyu that was one of the best Persimmons I have tasted. It was the size of a large mango. It was Juicy sweet and slightly soft when I ate it, wish I took some pictures.
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harry- we are in total agreement- i also found the texture of the fresh fruit a little off-putting, and I also found the dried fruit to be better tasting than the fresh- though, tell me if you found the same thing- i found that the dried fruit had a very savory rather than fruity taste.
A totally ripe Hachiya is a heavenly delight. They are extremely sweet, kind of like eating dates, but with a melt in the mouth texture. But have to be ripened properly or will be astringent. I rate persimmons when grown properly and ripened properly a 10 out of 10. I think neither of you has had the real item. Either that or you just don't like sweet luscious fruits?
Oscar
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I love the astringent ones!
Pop the top, and squeeze out. They taste like sugar jelly.
I like to spread them on bread to, but I don't really like non astringent as much.
I guess good things come to those who wait.
I hear saijo is one of the best.
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I love the astringent ones!
Pop the top, and squeeze out. They taste like sugar jelly.
I like to spread them on bread to, but I don't really like non astringent as much.
I guess good things come to those who wait.
I hear saijo is one of the best.
The non astringent ones, like Fuyu, are good for the lazy folks that don't like to wait for proper ripening. But they only get an 8 on my fruit richter scale.
Oscar
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I love the astringent ones!
Pop the top, and squeeze out. They taste like sugar jelly.
I like to spread them on bread to, but I don't really like non astringent as much.
I guess good things come to those who wait.
I hear saijo is one of the best.
The non astringent ones, like Fuyu, are good for the lazy folks that don't like to wait for proper ripening. But they only get an 8 on my fruit richter scale.
Oscar
Non astringent ones for me are optimal at the stage where it gives slightly to the touch but not to much. When you eat it out of hand it should still keep its shape without collapsing, but be soft enough where its sweet, juicy, and gives in easily to the bite.
Fuyu is just an ok non astringent variety, the best tasting ones to me are the cinnamon colored flesh ones (they have more complexity with some spiciness in some of the varieties).
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Persimmons are definitely a fruit i'd walk a mile for, just like mango, lychee, and durian!
Oscar
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Persimmons are definitely a fruit i'd walk a mile for, just like mango, lychee, and durian!
Oscar
Agree with this statement, I am looking to add 2-3 new trees in the future. So far I only have Hana Fuyu.
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So far haven't found a permisson that does well at my elevation. I think they like it just a tad cooler. But if i ever find one i'd be a happy camper! :D Persimmons fruit fine here at 2000 ft. or higher. I'm at 650ft.
Oscar
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So far haven't found a permisson that does well at my elevation. I think they like it just a tad cooler. But if i ever find one i'd be a happy camper! :D Persimmons fruit fine here at 2000 ft. or higher. I'm at 650ft.
Oscar
Oscar,
I found this may be useful for you; http://www.hortnet.co.nz/publications/science/pers3.htm (http://www.hortnet.co.nz/publications/science/pers3.htm) .
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Yep. The persimmon is one of my favorite fruits - incredibly delicious. The astringent cultivars (eg, the Hachiya) tend to be the sweetest and most delicious. The problem is that it's an acquired taste for most North Americans. The North American palate has difficulty fully appreciating this fruit.
Jeff
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. I rate persimmons when grown properly and ripened properly a 10 out of 10. I think neither of you has had the real item. Either that or you just don't like sweet luscious fruits?
Oscar
Well, that may in fact be the case. However, the fruits that I have grown and tasted over the years would never be a 10 out of 10 on the richter or any other fruit scale. These would come in in the 6 range....at best. Gerry, there was a certain savory vibe to the dried fruits I had...yes. And as to whether I like sweet luscious fruits......well....some I do and some I could take or leave. So that could be the reason for my under valuing this fruit. I do like the way the fruit is borne on the trees. Unfortuantely, they did not do well in my yard and eventually died. I grew 3 or 4 different varieties at one time.
Harry
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Winterset and Triumph are fabulous choices and fruit well here in Broward. I'm also trying a hachiya - not sure whether it will fruit here, but the folks at the fruit and spice park said it was fruitful there in Homestead.
Persimmons are definitely a fruit i'd walk a mile for, just like mango, lychee, and durian!
Oscar
Agree with this statement, I am looking to add 2-3 new trees in the future. So far I only have Hana Fuyu.
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Persimmons are definitely a fruit i'd walk a mile for, just like mango, lychee, and durian!
Oscar
Agree with this statement, I am looking to add 2-3 new trees in the future. So far I only have Hana Fuyu.
I would walk even two miles ;D Excellent winter fruit...
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Triumph was one of the better fruiting trees I did grow. This tree would flunk Adams jaboticaba waterboarding....and died as well from standing water in my yard.
Harry
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Count me in with the persimmon-lovers! They have a unique flavor and consistency, and are super-sweet. I've eaten mostly Hachiyas, grown in CA--definitely a top-tier fruit in my book.
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hmm, interesting to see such passion for persimmons.
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Triumph was one of the better fruiting trees I did grow. This tree would flunk Adams jaboticaba waterboarding....and died as well from standing water in my yard.
Harry
HAHA! My detainees are fairing the torture well. No confessions made as of yet! Both pushing growth despite being water logged.
Persimmon grows really well by me, and I see them all over. WE graft them onto the native persimmon sometimes.
THe native ones taste good, but are for the real Diospyros lover.
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So far haven't found a permisson that does well at my elevation. I think they like it just a tad cooler. But if i ever find one i'd be a happy camper! :D Persimmons fruit fine here at 2000 ft. or higher. I'm at 650ft.
Oscar
Oscar,
I found this may be useful for you; http://www.hortnet.co.nz/publications/science/pers3.htm (http://www.hortnet.co.nz/publications/science/pers3.htm) .
Thanks for the link, i'll have to give Triumph another try. Planted one and it died. Dates and persimmons are 2 candy fruits i really like but practically impossible at my location.
Oscar
Oscar
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I am also a devoted Persimmon fan but had bad luck with them until my Winterset fruited this year. Photo shows Hachiya, Triumph & Fuyu
Highly recommend them!
(http://s14.postimage.org/3olk5iu3h/DSCN0071.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/3olk5iu3h/)
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Add me to the list of persimmon fans! I however much prefer the non-astringent types that you eat like an apple. I just adore the crunchy, sugary sweet goodness of a tree ripe Fuyu or Nishimura. I keep thinking about putting a tree in, but I do not know how the do in my current climate (they did great great in eastern SD county but I do not think we get the warmth near the coast). I could never develop the taste for the astringent varieties, I just can't get past the slimy, mucous needed texture no matter how good the flavor is.
Richard
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Add me to the list of persimmon fans! I however much prefer the non-astringent types that you eat like an apple. I just adore the crunchy, sugary sweet goodness of a tree ripe Fuyu or Nishimura. I keep thinking about putting a tree in, but I do not know how the do in my current climate (they did great great in eastern SD county but I do not think we get the warmth near the coast). I could never develop the taste for the astringent varieties, I just can't get past the slimy, mucous needed texture no matter how good the flavor is.
Richard
I don't think they need a whole lot of warmth. My sister has a tree (Hachiya) which is doing well, and she lives about a mile from San Francisco Bay north of Berkeley. It almost never gets warm there.
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I don't think they need a whole lot of warmth. My sister has a tree which is doing well, and she lives about a mile from San Francisco Bay north of Berkeley. It almost never gets warm there.
John,
Thanks for the tip. Since I have always seen them growing in the east county here in SD and never by the coast, I just assumed that they needed summer heat to ripen. I will look closer into planting one.
Richard
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You all are talking about "Kaki", or ORIENTAL PERSIMMON. Please don't leave off the "Oriental," as the actual true Persimmon is Diospyros virginiana, native to the eastern USA.
The persimmon-improvement group, which included my father, have been working on breeding and selecting true persimmons over the last several decades.
Some are close to the size of a 'Triumph' and rival or beat any oriental persimmon in over-all flavor, and definitely beat them in sweetness.
I have the 'Homestead' persimmon, selected in Florida City, at the bottom of the Florida Peninsula. 'Homestead' is not one of the superior selections for quality, but is adapted to our climate. I have not tried to grow any of the selections done by the persimmon-improvement group associated with the Indiana Fruit and Nut Growers Association. My Mother's yard has a collection of those on Sand Mountain in northeastern Alabama.
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Ohh wow! That's super interesting.
You all are talking about "Kaki", or ORIENTAL PERSIMMON. Please don't leave off the "Oriental," as the actual true Persimmon is Diospyros virginiana, native to the eastern USA.
The persimmon-improvement group, which included my father, have been working on breeding and selecting true persimmons over the last several decades.
Some are close to the size of a 'Triumph' and rival or beat any oriental persimmon in over-all flavor, and definitely beat them in sweetness.
I have the 'Homestead' persimmon, selected in Florida City, at the bottom of the Florida Peninsula. 'Homestead' is not one of the superior selections for quality, but is adapted to our climate. I have not tried to grow any of the selections done by the persimmon-improvement group associated with the Indiana Fruit and Nut Growers Association. My Mother's yard has a collection of those on Sand Mountain in northeastern Alabama.
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You all are talking about "Kaki", or ORIENTAL PERSIMMON. Please don't leave off the "Oriental," as the actual true Persimmon is Diospyros virginiana, native to the eastern USA.
The persimmon-improvement group, which included my father, have been working on breeding and selecting true persimmons over the last several decades.
Some are close to the size of a 'Triumph' and rival or beat any oriental persimmon in over-all flavor, and definitely beat them in sweetness.
I have the 'Homestead' persimmon, selected in Florida City, at the bottom of the Florida Peninsula. 'Homestead' is not one of the superior selections for quality, but is adapted to our climate. I have not tried to grow any of the selections done by the persimmon-improvement group associated with the Indiana Fruit and Nut Growers Association. My Mother's yard has a collection of those on Sand Mountain in northeastern Alabama.
Very interesting indeed, any information on availability of these new varieties?