The ‘Jiro’ Persimmon (Diospyros kaki ‘Jiro’) is a highly valued Japanese cultivar known for producing delicious, non-astringent fruit. This means the fruit can be eaten straight from the tree while still firm and crisp, unlike the astringent varieties (like ‘Hachiya’) which must be completely soft and jelly-like to lose their mouth-puckering tannins.
The ‘Jiro’ fruit is large, flat, and distinctly four-sided or “squarish” in shape, with bright orange to reddish-orange skin. The flesh is sweet, firm, and crunchy when ripe, making it excellent for eating fresh, slicing into salads, or dehydrating.
As a tree, it is a magnificent addition to the garden, prized for its ornamental qualities. It has an attractive, upright growth habit, typically reaching 3 to 5 metres, and provides a spectacular show of brilliant gold, orange, and red foliage in autumn. The bright fruit often hangs on the branches long after the leaves have fallen, adding festive colour to the winter landscape.
Care Tips:
- Position: Plant in a spot that receives full sun for optimal fruit set, flavour, and autumn colour. It also appreciates a position sheltered from strong winds.
- Soil: Requires a rich, fertile, and very well-drained soil. It will not tolerate waterlogged conditions.
- Watering: Water regularly, especially during establishment and throughout the spring and summer fruiting period. Consistent water is key to good fruit size and quality.
- Pollination: ‘Jiro’ is generally self-pollinating (or self-fertile), meaning you only need one tree to produce a good, seedless crop.
- Pruning: Pruning should be light and primarily done in winter to remove dead or crossing branches and to maintain an open, shapely crown. Heavy pruning is often unnecessary and can reduce cropping.
- Thinning: Like many heavy-cropping fruit trees, thinning the fruit in a bumper year is recommended to prevent branches from breaking and to ensure the remaining fruit develops to a good size.
- Harvest: Harvest the fruit in late autumn (typically March–May in Australia) when the skin has turned a deep, bright orange-red. The fruit can be picked and eaten while still firm.
