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Diospyros virginiana

American Persimmon · Eastern Persimmon · Simmon · Common Persimmon

Family EbenaceaeGenus Diospyros

Two round orange fruits with dark dried calyxes hanging from a bare twig
Fruitkent ozmentCC0
A line drawing of a leafy shoot with bell-shaped flowers, a bud spray and a round berry
IllustrationBritton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 720. Courtesy of Kentucky Native Plant Society. Scanned by Omnitek Inc.Public domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
treePlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, TreePLANTS Database
Height
30-80 ft9-24 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
20-35 ft6-11 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Native to the lower 48 statesPLANTS Database
Hardiness zones
4-9Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, Loam (Silt), SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally DryExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Watering
Drought tolerance: MediumPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension.

Worth knowing

Three sources report 4 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 15, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

50% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Diospyros p. 30Public domain
Show the original text
Diospyros (Ebenaceae). r h o m b o i d a l is 9erm- 100% in 3-6 w in either 70D or 70L. A prior 3 m at 40 or OS treatment had no effect. The seedlings produced a 4-6 inch radicle. At this point they rot off at the neck unless the seedling is planted with the neck in the air above the soil ine. The Jatter send up a stem with leaves about a month after germination The cotyledons do not develop. ' D. virginiana germ. 40-70D(50-60%) from 1992 seed but only 40-70D(1/15) from 1995 seed. Seeds from 1993 germ. 100% in 3rd w in 70 GA-3 and seeds from 1995 germ. 50% in 4-6 w in 70 GA-3. Both of the Jatter required GA-3 for germination
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Diospyros p. 30. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 15, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

7% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Diospyros p. 30Public domain
Show the original text
Diospyros (Ebenaceae). r h o m b o i d a l is 9erm- 100% in 3-6 w in either 70D or 70L. A prior 3 m at 40 or OS treatment had no effect. The seedlings produced a 4-6 inch radicle. At this point they rot off at the neck unless the seedling is planted with the neck in the air above the soil ine. The Jatter send up a stem with leaves about a month after germination The cotyledons do not develop. ' D. virginiana germ. 40-70D(50-60%) from 1992 seed but only 40-70D(1/15) from 1995 seed. Seeds from 1993 germ. 100% in 3rd w in 70 GA-3 and seeds from 1995 germ. 50% in 4-6 w in 70 GA-3. Both of the Jatter required GA-3 for germination
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Diospyros p. 30. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 26, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 10 days to germinate.

100% germination in 5–10 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Diospyros p. 39Public domain
Show the original text
Diospyros (Ebenaceae). D. virginiana, germination was satisfactory in a 40-70 pattern, but it is now found that GA-3 will initiate germination directly at 70. Seeds germ. 70 GA-3(100% in 5-10 d). The seedlings were elongated but appeared to be able to survive.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Diospyros p. 39. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 3, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 2, 2026.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 6 months from start to step 5. Germination happens during step 5, in 28 days.

50% germination in 7–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Diospyros p. 133Public domain
Show the original text
Diospyros (Ebenaceae). D. virginiana germ. best in 40-70(50-60% in 1-4 w) and 70-40-70(50-60% in 1-4 w) showing that it is a 40-70 germinator. Outdoor treatment led to complete rotting, and this fatal treatment was a surprise considering that the plant is hardy. Germination is epigeal, but the stout six inch tap root with branching rootlets forms before the cotyledons laboriously extricate themselves from the seed coat. The cotyledons do not get expanded until 2-3 m after the initial germination. True leaves form simultaneously with the cotyledons. The seeds are embedded in the pulpy fruit. They were WC 7 d, but even after that they had to be periodically washed to remove exudate. Some limited data indicated that WC for one month was fatal.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Diospyros p. 133. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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