Diospyros virginiana x kaki 'Nikita's Gift' (hybrid Asian / American Persimmon)

Nikita’s Gift™ Hybrid Persimmon is from the Nikita Botanic Garden in Yalta, Ukraine, this unique hybrid of Asian and American Persimmon bears bountiful crops of sweet and flavourful, reddish-orange fruit followed by strikingly beautiful, orange-yellow fall foliage.  Nikita’s Gift™ Hybrid Persimmon grows 10-12 ft. in height, is self-fertile and hardy to minus 10 °F. It is ready to eat when soft and tender like a tomato.

Probably the most widely planted fruit tree in the world, Persimmons are found throughout Asia in almost every yard and orchard. Large, bright orange, Asian Persimmon features yellow, orange and scarlet fall colour and their striking fruits remain on the tree long after leaf fall. Hardy to 0 degrees F., Asian Persimmons are easy to grow in the Northwest and other regions of the U.S. with mild winters. Naturally compact trees, Asian Persimmons rarely exceed 12ft. in height. Asian Persimmon is not bothered by pests or disease and likes half day to full sun and well-drained soil. These varieties are self-fertile and hardy to USDA Zone 5. They begin bearing 2-3 years after planting and the fruit ripens in October.