i have not find one that is totally different in taste,it is not like apples in taste varieties.It is not like the american kinds either.If you want to make icecream you have to use natives pers.(a lot of work).

The non astringent ones all seem very similar to me. Try to find a productive one that can take your cold. Better yet! Find someone growing them in Ohio, maybe a poster here?

Bob, for ice cream astrngent types like Hachya when they are fully ripe and loose their astringency are the best. Much better testing icecream and much less efforts to get required amount of pulp.
Olga

I have not been able to tell much if any difference in flavor with the 5 or so I have tasted. The main differences it seems is in ripening times and hardiness. 'Izu' is the earliest ripening one I am aware of in my climate. It is ripe in September. All the others I have are not ripe until Oct. or Nov. 'Jiro' so far has done very well in my garden and ripens early in October. My 'hana fuyu' has not fruited yet but is quite cold hardy. I believe it has the largest fruit compared to other non astringents.

My hana fuyu is my largest nonastringent with good color and a dwarfed tree, but the flavor so far has been not up to par. I will give it another year or two before giving up on it.

Olga,i don't grow hachya,but do grow Giombo which i thiink is a tad better than hachya.Olga you probably have them in smoothies also.

I use them in cookies too :)
olga

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

I admit that Tony's pictures of kakis growing in Omaha are very tempting. . . and I think after exchanging emails with J. Lehman I am going to attempt a Nikita's Gift on the south side of my house with winter protection.

I was also thinking of buying a persimmon for my brother who lives in Phoenix. (Zone 10) I thought non-astringent might work better for him, as he has a lot of little kids who might not wait for the "oranges" to get ripe (soft). :)

Right now I only have Fuyu and Meader (American native type) and wild ones in the woods. Every year there is a slight difference to the flavor, some years they can taste wonderful and other years they can taste mediocre. With my Fuyu's this year they are tasting best if picked and allowed to sit on the kitchen counter for a week or more.

I enjoy them sliced and dried too.

TriangleJohn, I agree. I always wait to harvest when all the green coloration is gone then let them set at room temps for at least a week or two till they just begin to soften but before they turn mushy/jelly ripe. To me they have the best flavor at this stage. They will store even longer in a cool room or an unheated garage or basement. I have noted that flavor is not as good if left to soften on the tree.

I've never been able to ascertain any significant flavor differences in American persimmons, though some lose their astringency sooner than others.
Minimal experience with kakis, as Saijo is the only one that's fruited here(did get some Great Wall fruits a few years ago, but it's far from the house, and critters get most of them) - just tasted like...persimmon, to me.
Had a chance to sample Honan Red at a friend's home, back in AL, 10 years or so ago - seemed to have a 'watermelon' flavor undertone.

I went to a tasting event at One Green World here in OR Saturday. I also collected Am persimmons at the Home oRchard society arboretum. I have to say that I noticed a distinct difference in flavor among the Americans in my climate.

Early Golden is kind of the standard. Very good. Solid complete rum and butterscotch flavor. Here Ruby is much larger, and more subtle and smooth, almost creamy. Meader has not as deep of a flavor, still good though. I feel like Garretson has the most complete flavor profile of the ones I've tasted. It kind of zings and gives me that out there experience that is home grown food at its greatest. Just my opinion based on the ones I've tasted in my climate.
John S
PDX OR