North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Steven Covacci <filtertitle@aol.com>]

Hi,

Can date-plum persimmon (D. lotus, 90-c) be used as an alternative rootstock for American persimmon (D. virginiana; the 90-c strain) without risk of future graft-rejection?  If so, this could prove a dwarfed tree as compared to when the clone is grafted unto its own specie's rootstock.  Down-sides: less cold-hardyness for areas of extreme low-minimum temperatures; less clay tolerance for areas of extreme clay composition.  Benefits: smaller tree; no umbilical root suckering.  Risks?: future graft-rejection; less/more productivity.  I will definitely do the experiment.

Diamond-leaf persimmon, a.k.a. princess persimmon, (D. rhombifolia, 90-c) can be used as a more(?) hardy and much more dwarfing rootstock for Japanese persimmon (D. kaki, 90-c); however, the results include a much reduced crop yield and, if I recall correctly, also a smaller fruit size.  I will try this out myself, still.

I would imagine that in zones 7b through the warmer zones which are appropriate for Japanese persimmon, it might be a good idea to graft American persimmon to D. kaki for a smaller tree which does not sucker.

David Lavergne suggested that, in the above test of cross graft compatibility between D. lotus/D. virginiana, I bridge the two with a hybrid persimmon of D. kaki/D. virginiana, since D. kaki is already compatible; this would, potentially, confer some additional cause for graft compatibility? - just in case, in the future, a D. kaki (non-hybrid) rejects the above top grafted D. virginiana in the future.

Has anyone ever tried to graft D. lotus and D. virginiana to each other?

Thanks,

Steve Covacci