I am looking for 6b hardiness. Preferably tree growth habit and not a bushy form. Ideally the tree should be 10-15 feet tall and wide when mature. Companies that ship bareroot would be preferable.

I'm willing to grow either Asian, hybrid, or American Persimmons that has different flavor from the fufu and hachiya I buy at my local store.

Varieties I've seen are Nikita's Gift, Saijo, Tecumseh, Rosseyanka, and Smith's Best (bushy habit?). Also any comments on Ruby or Meader American Persimmon? My sources on these cultivars are justfruitsandexotics, edible landscaping, onegreenworld, and Starkbros.

Any recommendations on cultivars that fit my specifications? Opinions on the fruit quality of the cultivars I provided?

At the moment I'm leaning towards Nakita's Gift. Thanks!

From the Spring 2006 issue of POMONA:
In the 1920s & 1930s, J.Russell Smith grafted a number of Asian persimmons onto native D.virginiana roostock on his farm/nuresery in the Blue Ridge mountains of VA, near the WV border. At one time, Smith had 29 different Asian persimmons thriving and fruiting in his plantings. Over the past 6 years or so, Mr. Willam Preston has found the following varieties still surviving and fruiting in Smith's abandoned plantings: Giboshi, Shaumopan, Kishimoto, Manerh, Pen, Tsurushigaki, Smith #1 & #4, Delicious, Aizu Michirazu, Yokono, Akadango, Benigaki, Great Wall, Peiping

From Purdue: Cultivars that are especially hardy in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia include:
 'Atome', 'Benigaki', 'Delicious', 'Eureka', 'Great Wall', 'Manerh', 'Okame', 'Peiping', 'Pen', 'Shaumopan', 'Sheng,' 'Tsurushigaki', 'Yokono'

Varieties planted at Wye Plantation, 50+ years old (before Polar Vortex, winter 2013-2014):
Tecumseh, Saijo, Sheng, King Sun (Kyungsun Ban-Si), Great Wall, Aizu Michirazu, Giboshi

I don't have any experience growing them yet, but I've been looking into getting Saijo, Great Wall, and/or Rossyanka based on reviews and hardiness. From what I've read Rossyanka seems to be hardier than Nikita's Gift, but in 6b I don't think you need to worry about either.

Saijo is also high on my list. I have read it is very sweet but is lacking in flavor. Also some websites list it as zone 7 when others list it was zone 6.

Tony

Right now I'm leaning towards Prok and 100-46. Also, would having an Asian or Rosseyanka nearby help stimulate fruit any?

From what I found Prok and 100-46 were exceptional American persimmons. Also Early golden seems good. I just can't plant them because they get 60 feet tall and my property isn't appropriate for that.

Although I've had plenty of Asian persimmons I've never had an American persimmon. My understanding is American persimmons have a richer flavor but you need to basically wait until they fall from the tree.

Any input on Nikita's Gift? Does it have any flavor resembling an American persimmon or does it basically taste like an Asian persimmon?

Tony

Also, regarding Meader, I think the only really outstanding thing about that variety is that it apparently sets fruit in the absence of male pollinators and perhaps that it's extra cold hardy, neither of which traits would would matter anything to me. In 6b all native persimmons varieties should be more than hardy enough for you, and I think there are superior eating varieties that should also set fruit in the absence of a pollinator, notably Yates (and maybe Prok.) I haven't yet eaten a Yates or Prok, so I'm judging them based on things I've heard. I do have a Meader tree that I've eaten fruit from over a few years, but I wouldn't necessarily rank it much higher than the average wild tree around here

NJgrower, I wouldn't worry about a 60' tree for several reasons. First, if grown in good sun, just like most trees, a persimmon will probably grow out more and up less. Secondly, persimmons are pretty slow growers, so you could have a lot of fruiting years (probably decades) before your tree threatened to get to even 25' tall, at which point you could still presumably cut it down. Thirdly, you could prune it to keep it from getting as tall.