Persimmon Pollinator Cultivar

Oriental persimmon cultivars are divided into groups based on their fruit-setting ability: some require obligatory cross-pollination to prevent fruit drop, while others are prone to parthenocarpy. The presence of a pollinator also contributes to higher yields and increased fruit size in parthenocarpic cultivars.

In pollination-variant cultivars, such as Hyakume or Zenjimaru, pollination directly affects consumer properties. During the fertilization process, seeds are formed, which trigger the flesh to turn dark brown, allowing the fruit to lose astringency before reaching full physiological maturity.

Since persimmons can be dioecious or monoecious plants, the pollination of female individuals requires cultivars that produce male flowers. In commercial orchards and private gardens, to address the shortage of pollinators, specialized forms are used or the practice of grafting a pollinator cultivar scion into the canopy of the main tree is employed.