Hardy Sharon Fruit Tree - Diospyros kaki - Grow your own Persimmons!

One of those unusual fruits often spotted in the supermarket, but not always purchased is the Sharon Fruit or Persimmon as it is also known. Looking incredibly exotic, these are surely difficult to grow and come from some tropical paradise? Not at all, in fact, they a cold resistant and will easily grow in the UK without the need for any protection from winter - just to prove that, we've included a picture of fruits still hanging on the tree, caught up in an early winter snow fall. This attractive tree is also grown for its excellent autumn foliage which turns to shades of orange, red and purple before the cold weather arrives.

If you are new to these fruits, they are well worth growing, being highly nutricious, they contain high levels of dietary fiber, phenolic compounds, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese. They are also rich in vitamin C and beta carotene. Regular consumption of the fruit is believed to reduce the risk of heart attacks - and that's got to be a good thing!

The fruit are very sweet with a slight tang with a soft texture when ripe and ready to eat. They can also be cooked and used like apples if you have too many to eat fresh. Known to the ancient Greeks as "the fruit of the gods", or often referred to as "nature's candy", isn't it time you started to grow some of your own?

Easily grown in the open garden, or a large patio planter, these trees are proper established specimens when delivered, many often carry the odd fruit already in season.

Supplied bare root, at a total height of around 150cms (5ft) tall, these self-fertile young trees have a nice straight trunk, and are ready to branch and grow away, producing lush foliage and should fruit within a couple of years after planting.