Persimmon Trees for Deer

• Deer love persimmons. Akira Kaede/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Persimmons ripen and fall from the bough in autumn and early winter, making them a sought-after food by deer. With their habitat constantly shrinking due to suburban sprawl, food sources that naturally become scarce are even scarcer at this time of year. Persimmons are astringent when developing, but turn sweet and juicy when ripe. According to Virginia Tech, there are two main varieties of persimmon that grow well in the United States: American persimmon and Oriental persimmon. Each has many cultivars.

Early Golden

• Plant American persimmon cultivar Early Golden from seed or cuttings. It reaches a height and spread of 25 feet and lives for about 60 years. Fruits are 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter, golden-skinned and contain many seeds. More plants sprout from fruit on the ground that deer miss. Plant more than one tree to ensure cross-pollination and a fruit crop. Set them well away from your house, unless you want deer to come up to your windows.

Ruby

• Plant the American persimmon cultivar Ruby in groups for a fast-growing screen plant that also feeds deer. Deer are timid, and persimmons can create a dense thicket, even after leaves drop. Golden with a red blush, Ruby's fruit is similar in size to Early Golden. It grows faster when planted in full sun and slower in partial shade.

Fuyu

• Plant Japanese persimmons to experiment with feeding deer. Japanese cultivars are smaller than American varieties and short-lived at 10 years. According to Virginia Tech, they are grafted onto rootstocks with a deep taproot, which gives them a tendency to dwarf. Try Fuyu for a 2-inch diameter fruit that is sweeter and larger than American persimmon.

Jiro

• Jiro persimmon, another Japanese cultivar, has a low, bushy growth habit and plenty of large, sweet fruit. Pick a few for yourself if the deer leave any. Both Jiro and Fuyu are seedless, and less likely to spread through the landscape than American cultivars. Jiro and Fuyu produce quickly just three years after grafting.