Are Persimmon Tree Roots Invasive?
The common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is an attractive tree for a city backyard, small to medium size with unusual fruit and showy fall colors. It is an easy tree to grow and its roots do not present problems, unlike its relative from China. Does this Spark an idea?
-
Identification
-
The common persimmon is native to eastern United States. Although it reaches 60 feet in the wild, cultivated trees are typically shorter. Its blocks of dark bark are lined with orange, matching the ripe fruit. Neither the tree nor its roots are invasive.
Cultivation
-
Common persimmon grows readily from seeds or cuttings. The trees require full sun and, although drought resistant, yield bigger and better fruit with regular watering. Since the invasive tap roots of oriental persimmons (Diospyros kaki) make them difficult to transplant, growers graft oriental persimmon scions to common persimmons rootstocks.
-
Fruit
-
Persimmons deepen in color as they ripen and are jelly soft when ready to eat. Although the common persimmon tree is neither invasive nor disease prone, its luscious fruit creates backyard problems. When the ripe persimmons fall, they make a mess and attract insects and mammals
-
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images
More Like This
Comments
-
It appears that we are not well informed and the palms actually have soft non-invasive roots. There is a massive industry making money out of removing trees that are not bad for your pools or walls. It is simply that they are attracted to water, and if there is a leak their roots will grow quickly to the wet area, so it appears that they are they could cause of the leak when in fact they are not. Most species of palm are perfect for near retaining walls and pools- I am so glad I found this out, now I don't need to cut mine down.
