How to Stratify Persimmon Seeds in Sandpaper

Persimmon seeds have a hard outer hull.

Persimmon trees (Diospyros L.) are tropical fruit trees that produce small, sweet orange fruit. Each fruit contains between three and eight black seeds that will grow if planted. Because each seed is covered in a very hard hull, they must be softened before they will grow. This process is called stratification and occurs naturally over many months in the ground. You can hasten this process using sandpaper.

Things You'll Need

• Jar with lid
• Coarse sandpaper

Instructions

1. Set a clear glass jar on a flat surface and remove the lid. Insert a piece of coarse sandpaper inside the jar so that the rough side of the paper faces the center of the jar. If needed, insert another piece of coarse sandpaper in the jar so that all the walls of the jar are covered.

2. Insert dry persimmon seeds into the jar and place the lid securely on top of the jar.

3. Shake the glass jar vigorously for approximately one minute to grind down the outer hull of the seeds on the sandpaper.

4. Remove the lid from the jar and scoop out some seeds to examine them. Look for visible scratches that reveal a different color under them. If needed, place the lid back on the jar and shake the seeds a little longer.

References

• USDA Forest Service: Diospyros L.
• "Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening"; Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis; 1993