I was thinking that someone in the Lower Mainland in BC might be able to come up with an answer, as it is the only variety that I know of that is available from the nurseries here, and whose fruits ripen in time - most years.
A nursery in Richmond had some half dozen different varieties of persimmons this summer. Whether they're suitable for our climate is another matter.
You have got two basic types of persimmons - the astringent cultivars and the non-astrigent cultivars. (There is a third variety, Pollination Variant Varieties, whose fruits are astringent when still firm if they developed from flowers that are not pollinated, i.e., seedless.) The astringent persimmons has to be jelly soft before it can be eaten without leaving that unpleasant sensation in the mouth. The non-astringent varieties can be eaten while the fruit is still firm to hard, without the astringent taste - some people like the crispy characteristics that way (I prefer it to soften a little bit). It is this later variety that is more popular amongst the Asian communities (or at least that I know of). The only problem is that nonastringent persimmons need a hot summer, and a long enough warm season and sun to ripen without leaving some astringent taste on it. Unfortunately, gardening in the Pacific North Wet as we do, the ideal climate is not guaranteed. We harvest our persimmon when the fruits are coloured (yellow to orange). We leave in room temperature inside the house till it softens before eating them. This usually takes a few days to up to 2-3 weeks, depending on the ripeness when the fruits are picked. The astringent varieties are usually picked when fully coloured but not soft yet - these fruits need a varying period of ripening after they have been picked before they can be eaten "comfortably". The window between ripe to eat and turning to mush is short. Astringency can be removed by treating with CO2, alcohol or a freeze-thaw cycle. For this reason, most of the friends and acquaintances I know prefer to grow the non-astringent varieties. The astringent varieties almost all have a conical to rounded fruits, whereas the non-astringent varieties have fruits that are more flattened from top to bottom. Although there are some non-stringent varieties that bear fruits that are more round than oblate (e.g. Okugosho), a fruit that is flatter (i.e shorter stalk-to-tip diameter) are more likely to be astringent.
East Asian and eastern North American summers much wetter than ours. Eastern annual precipitation totals often higher than in lowland, metropolitan areas here as well. It's the lack of heat.
Weekend Gardener, you sound like a persimmon connoisseur :) This thread has reminded me to be on the lookout for these things at the market. My preference is for the astringent Hachiya variety over the non-astringent Fuyu. The latter doesn't come close when comparing for taste and sweetness especially if the former is allowed to go to mush. Unfortunately it can be weeks before that happens if the fruit is rock hard when purchased.
Junglekeeper, I am a patient man - especially when I know there is something exceptionally delectable to enjoy at the end of the long wait. And as for the taste of the astringent variety over the non-astringent one, I agree with you totally. But even for me the days of endless checking and waiting is too much! Traditionally, we sink the astringent persimmons into rice grains - don't ask me why, my grandma taught me that. But the nonastringent Fuyu pictured above is my favourite - it has to be, because the rest of the family likes crunchy persimmons and have no stomach for the mushy stuff. One of these days, I will grow an astringent variety, just for my self. If you are looking for Fuyu, I agree, it is had to come by - it took me three years. I only acquired one three years ago when I kept calling up Gardenworks at Lougheed, several times a week, for a whole month, just to be sure that I was one of the first in line when their shipment arrived.
