Quick Facts
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Height at Maturity: 35-60 Feet
Usage: Fruiting
Shipped As: Bare-root
Planting Zones: 4-9
Product Details
Our persimmon seedlings are American persimmon, Diospyros virginiana, also called common persimmon, possumwood and simmon. We sell them wholesale as bare root, dormant seedlings in bundles of 100, 500 and 1,000 for wildlife and hunting land managers, food plot planners, conservation crews and nurseries lining out native fruit trees. Few native trees hold sweet fruit on the branch as deep into fall and early winter, which is exactly why deer hunters and habitat managers put persimmon on the order sheet.
Persimmon Quick Facts
| Botanical name | Diospyros virginiana |
|---|---|
| Family | Ebenaceae (ebony family) |
| USDA zones | 4 to 9 |
| Mature height | 35 to 60 feet |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Soil | Adapts to sandy, loam, clay and rocky soils; best fruit on moist, well-drained ground |
| Flowers | Fragrant creamy-white bells, late spring |
| Fruit | Orange, 1 to 1.5 inches, ripening September into winter |
| Grades | 6-12 inch, 12-18 inch and 6-24 inch row run |
| Bundles | 100, 500, 1,000 |
A Late-Season Food Source for Deer and Wildlife
Persimmon is one of the most valued soft mast trees in the eastern United States. Its fruit softens and sweetens after the first frosts and often hangs on the tree well past leaf drop, feeding white-tailed deer, wild turkey, raccoons, opossums, foxes, black bears and dozens of songbirds through the lean weeks of late fall. Land managers plant persimmon along field edges, logging roads and food plot borders to hold deer on a property after acorns are gone. The leaves also host luna moth and hickory horned devil (regal moth) caterpillars, adding insect diversity to habitat plantings.
Who Buys Persimmon Seedlings in Bulk
- Hunting and wildlife properties: Soft mast clusters and hedgerows that complement oak plantings.
- Conservation and reforestation crews: A native fruit-bearing hardwood for old-field reclamation and mixed upland plantings.
- Nurseries: Graded seedlings for lining out or as rootstock for grafted named persimmon cultivars.
- Native orchard and homestead growers: A long-lived fruit tree prized for puddings, breads and preserves.
Planting Plan and Spacing
American persimmon trees are male or female, so planting seedlings in groups gives you both and sets up dependable fruit. Clusters of five to ten trees along an edge work well for wildlife. For block plantings, 20 by 20 foot spacing fits about 109 trees per acre, and 15 by 15 foot spacing about 194. Persimmon grows a deep taproot that anchors it on dry ridges and open fields, and bare root seedlings are the ideal way to establish it because the taproot goes into the ground intact. Our bare root planting instructions walk crews through each step.
Selecting a Grade
The row run 6-24 inch grade is the go-to for acreage and wildlife work. The graded 6-12 inch size suits nursery beds and high-count bids, while 12-18 inch seedlings give landscape and orchard crews a larger, more uniform stem at planting.
Native Partners for a Mast Planting
Combine persimmon with Chickasaw plum seedlings and elderberry for layered soft mast, and with white oak for hard mast. Our wildlife mast planting blueprint shows how to lay out a full mast plot, and our persimmon cultivation and care guide covers the tree from seedling to harvest.
Persimmon Seedling Questions
How long until persimmon seedlings bear fruit?
Seedling American persimmons commonly begin fruiting in about 4 to 8 years, with larger crops as the trees mature.
Do I need more than one persimmon tree for fruit?
Yes. American persimmon has separate male and female trees, so plant several seedlings together to ensure pollination.
What zones are persimmon seedlings hardy in?
American persimmon grows in USDA zones 4 through 9. Check your location with our USDA zone finder.
How many persimmon seedlings do I need per acre?
About 109 trees per acre at 20 by 20 foot spacing, or about 194 at 15 by 15 feet.
When do persimmon seedlings ship?
Persimmon seedlings ship dormant and bare root beginning in November.
Grown by a Family Nursery Since 1959
Tennessee Wholesale Nursery is the wholesale division of TN Nursery, started by Roscoe Tate in 1959 and still run by his family on 170 acres in Altamont, Tennessee. Swamp People's Troy Landry is among our customers. Every persimmon seedling is lifted dormant, its roots treated with Terra-Sorb hydrogel, and each bundle sealed to stay moist for up to 12 days in transit. For large counts or mixed-species orders, request wholesale pricing.