Diospyros kaki 'Fuyu' - Fuyu Persimmon

The 'Fuyu' Persimmon tree is much like the 'Hachiya' except the fruit are less pointed, and from an eating perspective, less astringent. Trees typically growto 25' with an equal spread forming a rounded, oval or umbrella habit.  While I have not read others mention the spring or summer color of the leaves, these trees all seem to have yellowish foliage. Trees will reliably develop wonderful fall color.

Leaves are deciduous, simple, 3-5" long, ovate to elliptical shaped, entire margins, dark glossy green with distinct veins with a slight leathery texture. Very attractive in summer.

Especially attractive in the fall as they turn to yellow and orange.

Trees are monoecious, male and female flowers blooming in the spring to summer.

Fruit is a large orange berry, 3" wide, but about 2" tall, looking like a squatty apple. Retains its large green calix.

Stems originally slightly hairy, eventually without hairs. Dark rich brown with large lenticels.

Bark is great on all the persimmons.


Misidentification:
As a persimmon I doubt it, but cultivars are another matter. Distinguishing between 'Fuyu' and 'Hachiya' is easy if you see fruit, otherwise you are on your own. There are lots of 'Fuyu' like cultivars available.

If you have a different cultivar in a public space I would be very interested in seeing them.

Location:

Aptos
7535 Soquel Dr.

Corralitos
Corralitos Rd close to the Market, across the street is a row of both cultivars.

Santa Cruz
1104 King St
935 High St

Diospyros kaki 'Hachiya' - Hachiya Persimmon Tree

The Hachiya persimmon tree is a beautiful small deciduous tree with wonderful orange fall color and tasty fruit. I do like the trees without foliage better than with but it is one of the nicest small trees for fall color. Growing to 25' with an equal spread forming a rounded, oval or umbrella habit, they are easily keep smaller if you want to harvest the fruit. This one has a sign saying "please don't pick the fruit".

Foliage is alternate, simple, elliptical to ovate shaped, entire margins, dark glossy green in summer and yellow to orange in the fall.

Persimmon trees are dioecious, male and female plants. Flowers in the spring, small green and hardly noticeable. My guess is that these cultivars are all females.

Fruit is a large orange berry, oval shaped, over 3". Large persistent calix. Picked firm and allowed to ripen.

Stems are lightly downy when young, eventually becoming glabrous.

Bark is wonderful, deeply sectioned into rectangular blocks.

Misidentification: Fuyu Persimmon, which looks just like this except the fruit are flatter, without the point on the bottom.

Location:

Aptos

520 Townsend Ave (on the side street Granada)

Santa Cruz:

412 Windham

Acca sellowiana - Pineapple Guava

The Pineapple Guava is a commonly planted small evergreen tree or shrub, planted as a screen or as an accent tree showing off the beautiful flowers or the edible fruit. Grows to about 15-20' by 8-10' wide, and usually multi-stemmed. You are more likely to see it being used as a hedge or screen.

Evergreen leaves are alternate, simple, oval to elliptical shaped, 1 - 2" long, dark green upper surface, white lower surface. The white undersides and stems make the plant look blue green from a distance.

Flowers appear in early spring, usually singly, with four fleshy petals that are white on the outside and pink on the inside, about 3/4".  The red showy bits are long bright red stamens. Flowers are edible.

The edible fruit (a berry) is oval shaped, bluish green, 2" long, with a whitish fleshy pulp. Strongly fragrant and very tasty. Strawberry to pineapple flavors.

Trees can produce huge amounts of fruit, and many times most of it ends up on the ground.

Young stems covered with white hairs.

Bark is tan, stems never really develop a wide girth.

For those using the plant for fruit production there are lots of cultivated varieties available.  Can't say I have ever noticed the cultivars being sold in local nurseries.

Feijoa is the old name.

Misidentification:
Not sure,

Location:
Everywhere,