Cold hardy fruit with a long harvest season

Nikita’s Gift is an American × Asian persimmon hybrid developed at the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in Crimea. It combines the large, sweet fruit of Asian persimmons with American persimmon cold hardiness, tolerating winter temperatures down to approximately -10°F.

Its slightly astringent fruit ripens late in the season, typically from October into December, extending the home harvest when many other fruit trees have finished. This self-fertile tree can produce fruit without a second persimmon nearby and is grafted onto hardy American persimmon rootstock for reliable landscape performance. In fall, its leaves turn beautiful shades of yellow-orange, complementing the bright orange fruit for added seasonal interest.

Planting & Care

1. Planting: Plant or repot within 4 weeks of arrival. Remove the stake and ties at planting, as these are only for shipping. Choose a location with full sun and well-drained soil. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and about twice as wide, keeping the graft union several inches above the soil. Backfill with native soil, water thoroughly, and add mulch without piling it against the trunk.

2. Watering: Water deeply after planting and regularly during the first growing season, allowing the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings. Once established, the tree has moderate drought tolerance, but consistent moisture supports better fruit development. Avoid soggy soil.

3. Pruning: Prune in late winter while the tree is dormant. Remove damaged, crossing, or crowded branches and maintain an open, balanced canopy. Avoid heavy pruning, which can reduce fruit production, and remove any shoots growing from below the graft union.

4. Fertilizing: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring if growth is weak or the soil is low in nutrients. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which can encourage leafy growth at the expense of fruiting. A yearly layer of compost can provide gentle, steady nutrition.