How to Trim a Persimmon Tree

A persimmon tree produces an abundance of sweet fruit, even after pruning.

Persimmons are slow growing trees that need little pruning once they mature. However, if you have just planted a persimmon, or if you have a very young tree, you have an opportunity to shape the tree and encourage fruiting as the persimmon develops. Typically, the tree bears fruit after four to six years. Tree shape may be left to its own accord, trimmed to contain its size, cropped to a bush or even grown as an espalier -- trained so it will grow against a flat plane, such as a wall, fence or trellis.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears
• Paint

Instructions

1. Trim freshly planted, young persimmon trees down to about 1/2 the tree’s height, to a minimum of about 3 feet. Keep one or two buds on any shoots below the 3-foot mark. This may seem harsh, but the tree will grow with lower hanging branches that make it easier to pick fruit later. This pruning also helps equalize the height of the tree with its root system. Prune shoots to within 1/4 inch of existing buds. Stubs longer than 1/4 inch tend to die off, and invite disease or wood borers, both of which can severely damage the persimmon.

2. Prune the young tree the year after planting so that it has three to five branches about 8 to12 inches apart, emerging from the central trunk. This encourages a strong framework as the tree grows. Prune more aggressively each year to keep the persimmon as a hedge or bush. Flowers and fruit develop on new wood, so the persimmon as a bush should still produce.

3. Cut away dead, diseased or broken branches any time of the year. If you are planning to do all the pruning after leaves have fallen, however, mark dead branches with paint so you know which ones they are.

4. Prune about 20 percent of old growth every one to two years on mature trees, if desired. This will help maintain the tree’s height and shape while encouraging new, fruit-bearing shoots to form.

Tips & Warnings

• Except for dead, weak or diseased branches, keep the pruning regimen confined to months when no leaves are on the trees -- late fall until late winter. The persimmon tree is dormant at this time and pruning away dormant buds invigorates the remaining buds. Spring pruning removes potential flowering shoots, and summer pruning takes away leaves that fuel growth and maintain the tree’s health through photosynthesis.

References

• California Rare Fruit Growers: Persimmon; 1996
• North Carolina Cooperative Extension: Growing Oriental Persimmons in North Carolina; M. L. Parker; September 1993
• University of California Cooperative Extension, Sonoma County: Ten Basics of When and How to Prune Fruit Trees; Paul Vossen
• University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension: Persimmons; July 2011