WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Diospyros virginiana, WUCOLS IV

How often to water American persimmon in California

In July in the Central Valley, established American persimmon in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 47 gallons a week. American persimmon is a slow-growing deciduous tree native to the eastern United States, with glossy leaves and thick, dark bark broken into square blocks. Female trees bear round fruit that is astringent when unripe and very sweet when fully ripe. It adapts to poor soils but forms a deep taproot that makes moving it difficult.

TreeRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water American persimmon, month by month

Your city
Canopy width
10 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for American persimmon and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area under the branches, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure canopy width

A tree with its canopy width marked across the widest branches and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the branches, from the tips of the outer leaves on one side to the tips on the other. A tape works, or pace it out.

Water the whole circle under the branches, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that circle.

A wider canopy means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While the tree is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • If a trowel turns up dry soil 6 inches down under the canopy, a young American persimmon needs a deep soak
  • Leaves yellowing and dropping early in a long, dry summer can point to drought stress
  • Fruit dropping before it ripens can follow a dry spell during summer
  • Yellowing leaves in soil that stays waterlogged suggest poor drainage
  • Root suckers sprouting around the trunk are a normal habit, not a watering signal

How to water it

  • Water American persimmon over the root zone under the canopy with drip or a soaker
  • Soak deeply enough to reach 2 feet, where the taproot grows, then let the upper soil dry
  • Plant a young tree in well-drained soil in full sun or part shade, since the taproot resists transplanting
  • Mulch the root area, keeping it a few inches from the trunk
  • Move irrigation outward as the canopy widens toward 25 to 35 feet

Through the seasons

Give a new American persimmon deep soakings through its first few summers while the taproot grows down. Established trees adapt to poor soils and need less help, though long, dry summers still call for deep soakings. Fragrant flowers open in late spring, leaves color in fall, and ripe fruit often hangs on after leaf drop. WUCOLS rates American persimmon low water on the north-central coast. It rates moderate water in the Central Valley, on the south coast and in South Inland. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

American persimmon develops a deep taproot, so a container only suits a young seedling for a season or two. Use a tall pot with drainage holes and a sandy, well-drained mix. During warm spells, test the mix 2 to 3 inches down every few days and water when dry. Let the excess drain and empty the saucer. Plant it out while small, since older trees resent being moved.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.671.32.02.70.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.671.32.02.70.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

American Persimmon: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.40.780.78––
Feb0.210.650.810.87––
Mar0.351.091.151.3––
Apr0.471.521.41.61––
May0.582.081.611.95––
Jun0.642.481.742.29––
Jul0.642.671.982.51––
Aug0.62.391.862.33––
Sep0.51.81.491.86––
Oct0.351.181.151.33––
Nov0.190.560.840.9––
Dec0.120.340.650.68––
Year4.817.1115.518.41––

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like American persimmon. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Citrus TreesCitrus spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyJapanese MapleAcer palmatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAvocado TreesPersea americanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMagnolia TreesMagnolia grandiflora ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPalm TreesSyagrus romanzoffiana (Arecastrum romanzoffianum)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyApple TreesMalus spp. (edible) e.g, 'Anna' (low chill variety for low desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPeach TreesPrunus spp. ediblemoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPersimmon TreesDiospyros kakimoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAmur MapleAcer ginnalamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernleaf MapleAcer japonicummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBox ElderAcer negundomoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyNorway MapleAcer platanoidesmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed MapleAcer rubrummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyChinese MapleAcer truncatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed HorsechestnutAesculus x carneamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than American persimmon in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

Olive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFig TreesFicus carica ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCrape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPomegranate TreesPunica granatumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyEucalyptusEucalyptus polyanthemoslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPine TreesPinus canariensislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTexas Red OakQuercus buckleyilow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPortuguese OakQuercus faginealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySoapbark TreeQuillaja saponarialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyNecklace TreeSophora affinislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBailey AcaciaAcacia baileyanalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver WattleAcacia dealbatalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGreen WattleAcacia decurrenslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes American persimmon, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water American persimmon in summer?

In July, established American persimmon in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley, about every 11 days on the south coast and about every 9 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does American persimmon need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established American persimmon needs about 6.8 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 27 gallons a day under a 20 foot canopy. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for American persimmon change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates American persimmon separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, not evaluated in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not evaluated in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Do I need two American persimmon trees for fruit?

Usually yes. Male and female flowers grow on separate trees, so a female needs a male nearby to set fruit. 'Meader' sets seedless fruit without pollination.

When is American persimmon fruit ripe?

Wait until the fruit is soft and fully colored, since unripe fruit is very astringent. Ripe fruit is very sweet and often hangs on after the leaves fall.

Can I move an American persimmon?

Only while young. Its deep taproot makes transplanting difficult. A moved tree needs deep, steady watering for its first few summers.

Is American persimmon messy?

Fruit drop can be messy, and the tree also sends up root suckers that can become weedy. Plant it away from paths and patios.

Can you overwater American persimmon?

Yes. It prefers moist but well-drained soil. Let the upper soil dry between deep soakings, and keep it out of low, soggy spots.

More plant watering guides

Strawberry GuavaPasque FlowerCallery PearEdible PearEvergreen PearSawtooth OakEastern White OakSwamp White Oak

Sources