Introducing Chestnut Hill Outdoors 'DEER CANDY' Persimmon Collection

Diospyros virginiana

Persimmons are Deer Candy. If you have any persimmon trees where you hunt, you know that the deer seek out these small, delicious fruit. The scientific name for persimmons is Diospyros , or "fruit of the gods". For humans, the American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) has alum in the skin, which disappears when the fruit ripens, usually after the first frost. If you have eaten a persimmon before it was ripe, you know it will suck the wax back out of your ears. After they ripen, they have a rich, sweet, almost nutty flavor. Luckily, this does not bother deer or game, which will eat persimmons right off the tree, or when they have fallen on the ground.
Persimmons bear profusely in the fall and are an essential addition, along with our Dunstan chestnut trees, to your food plot. The earlier varieties that start to bear in late August early September will lure deer to your site. When planted along with later bearing varieties your plot will produce a steady stream of fruit and nuts that will keep deer coming back all fall.

The new 'Deer Candy' collection features several of our favorite American Persimmon varieties that have been specially selected for their abundant fruit production that is irresistible to deer and other wildlife. 'Deer Candy' Persimmons are all grafted female trees, which means they will come into bearing fruit in 2-3 years. We have selected grafted American Persimmon varieties that are cold hardy and can be grown in plant Zones 5-9.

The Deer Candy Early Drop Persimmons bear fruit from late August through October. The trees are vigorous and grow very rapidly The fruit is 1.25-1.5" in diameter, and drops over several months in late summer and early fall. Plant them with Deer Magnet for good pollination and best production.

The Deer Magnet Late Drop Persimmon drops its fruit slowly from October and November, during prime hunting season. It is very cold hardy, has a 1.25-1.5" fruit, bears heavily and grows in Zone 5, as far north as southern Michigan, IL, and PA. Plant Deer Magnet with Deer Candy trees for good pollination and best production.

Deer also like Oriental Persimmons (Diospyros kaki) as much as the native persimmons. These trees bear crops of large fruit, and some varieties are non-astringent, so they will never pucker your mouth. Though traditionally grown from Zone 7-9, we have some varieties of Oriental Persimmons that will grow as far north as Plant Zone 6.

Persimmons are easy to grow, and will bear in just a few years. The less expensive seedling (non-grafted) American persimmon trees are either male or female (you can't tell by looking at them), so you should plant several together (3-10) to make sure that you will get at least a few females that will bear fruit.