Cold Hardiness

• The common persimmon tolerates winter lows up to United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 4. Indiana lies entirely in plant zones 5 and 6, so the tree is hardy throughout the state.
  
  

Identification

• The 35- to 60-foot common persimmon has glossy, green elliptical leaves. Its autumn foliage is yellow-green, and its distinctive, gray-to-black bark forms rectangular plates. Its fragrant spring flowers give way to astringent orange or reddish fall fruits. Only ripe persimmon fruits are edible.
  
  

Growing Persimmons

• Persimmon trees perform best in full sun to partial shade and sandy, moist soil. Female trees require nearby males for pollination and fruit production. Only prune the trees to remove damaged or dead branches or to control their size.
  
  

Cultivars

• Several persimmon cultivars thrive in Indiana. They include September-ripening "Even Golden" and October-ripening "Woolbright," "Killen," "Ennis" and "John Rick." While native persimmon fruits contain up to 10 large seeds, these cultivars have zero to eight seeds.