Growing Persimmons in the San Lorenzo Valley
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A persimmon is one of the better deciduous fruit trees for the San Lorenzo Valley, and it suits the place well. The valley's cooler inland winters give the tree plenty of the chill it barely needs anyway, and persimmons are tough, low-maintenance trees that handle cold better than many fruit crops. The two things to plan for here are finding enough sun among the redwoods and protecting a young tree from the valley's real frost. Get those right and a persimmon rewards you for decades.
Quick verdict: This is good persimmon ground with two caveats. The valley easily meets the tree's low chill needs and the tree itself is hardy and largely pest free, but you must site it in real sun rather than redwood shade, and protect a young tree from frost in the cold canyon air. A mature persimmon takes the valley's cold in stride. Plant a Fuyu for crisp fruit or a Hachiya for soft, and give it the sunniest spot you have.
This page covers persimmons in the San Lorenzo Valley. For the wider county picture, start with the hubs on California fruit trees and chill hours for fruit trees in Santa Cruz.
Why persimmons fit the valley
The San Lorenzo Valley sits inland and at elevation among the redwoods, so its winters run colder than the coast or the Banana Belt. That extra cold is no problem for a persimmon. The tree needs only about 100 to 200 chill hours, which the valley supplies easily, and it is hardy enough to handle the valley's winter lows once established. What the persimmon does need is sun and warmth in the growing season to ripen its fruit, and that is the part the redwoods can complicate. Our valley guide on sunny ridges versus shaded canyons explains why your planting spot matters so much here.
Astringent versus non-astringent: choose your type
The main choice with a persimmon is the type. Non-astringent varieties like Fuyu are firm and sweet when ripe and can be eaten crisp, like an apple, off the tree. Astringent varieties like Hachiya must be fully soft and jelly-ripe before they are edible; eaten firm, they are harshly tannic. Fuyu is the easy fresh-eating pick, while Hachiya is prized for baking and drying. In the cooler valley, make sure your spot gets enough sun and heat to ripen either type fully, then choose by how you like to eat them.
When to plant in the San Lorenzo Valley
Plant bare-root in winter, the standard window for deciduous fruit. For timing and technique, see when to plant bare-root fruit trees in Santa Cruz.
Find the sun, dodge the frost pocket
The most important decision in the valley is where you plant. Persimmons need full sun to ripen well, which is the scarce resource under tall redwoods, so choose the most open, south or west facing spot you have, ideally on a sunny ridge or upper slope. That same spot also helps with frost, because cold air drains downhill off slopes and pools in the canyon bottoms. A persimmon on a ridge sheds that cold air, while one in a low canyon bottom sits in the frost pocket and the deepest shade. If your only open ground is low and damp, the tree will ripen poorly and face more frost stress, so hunt for height and light.
Protect young trees from frost
An established persimmon handles the valley's cold well, but a young tree is more vulnerable in its first winters. On clear, cold nights when a hard frost is forecast, keep frost cloth on hand and drape a young tree to protect the trunk and new growth. After a few years the tree toughens up and needs little help. Our guide to understanding frost dates in Santa Cruz County helps you anticipate the cold nights.
Sun, soil, and water
Sun: Full sun is essential and the hardest thing to find here. The more open and bright the spot, the sweeter and better-colored the fruit.
Soil: Canyon soils can be rich but slow draining. Plant on a slight mound if water sits, keep mulch off the trunk, and avoid the lowest spots where cold air and water both collect.
Water: Cooler valley summers mean moderate water needs. Water young trees regularly to establish, then deeply and infrequently as the tree matures and becomes more drought tolerant.
Why it is still a low-maintenance tree
Even with the siting care it asks for, a persimmon remains one of the easiest fruit trees in the valley. It has few serious pests or diseases, so there is no annual spray program like a peach needs for leaf curl, and it requires only light pruning. Once you have placed it in sun and carried it through its first frosty winters, it largely takes care of itself and crops dependably.
What to expect from the fruit
- Good crops from a tree placed in real sun on a ridge or open slope.
- Fruit that ripens later and may be a touch less heat-driven than in the Banana Belt or Pajaro Valley.
- Hardy, dependable trees once established, taking the valley's cold in stride.
- Poor ripening and more frost stress from a tree stuck in a shaded, low canyon bottom.
Common problems in the San Lorenzo Valley
- Too much shade from redwoods: the leading cause of poor fruit here. Plant in the most open, sunny spot you have.
- Frost on young trees: protect with frost cloth in the early years; mature trees handle the cold.
- Eating an astringent variety too soon: let a Hachiya go fully soft before eating, or it will be tannic.
- Slow-draining canyon soil: plant high and on a mound to keep roots from sitting wet.
Local tip: In the San Lorenzo Valley, the persimmon's success comes down to sun and siting. Find the brightest, highest, best-drained spot you have, away from the shaded frost-prone canyon bottom, and give a young tree frost cloth on cold nights for its first few winters. Do that and a hardy, low-maintenance persimmon will reward you for decades, even where gardeners assume it is too cold and shaded to grow good fruit.
Frequently asked questions
Can persimmons handle the cold of the San Lorenzo Valley?
Yes. Persimmons are hardy trees and the valley's cooler winters easily meet their low chill needs. A mature persimmon takes the valley's frost in stride. The main jobs are finding enough sun among the redwoods and protecting young trees during their first frosty winters.
Where should I plant a persimmon in the valley?
In the most open, sunny spot you have, ideally on a ridge or upper slope. That gives the tree the sun it needs to ripen fruit and lets cold air drain downhill away from it. Avoid shaded, low canyon bottoms, which pool both frost and moisture.
Should I plant a Fuyu or a Hachiya?
It depends on how you like to eat them. Fuyu is non-astringent and eaten firm and crisp like an apple. Hachiya is astringent and must be fully soft before eating but is excellent for baking and drying. Make sure your spot gets enough sun to ripen either fully.
Do I need to protect my persimmon from frost?
Mostly just while it is young. For the first few winters, drape a young tree with frost cloth on clear, cold nights when a hard frost is forecast. Once established, persimmons handle the valley's cold on their own.
