Description
Calliope™ is a Korean Asian persimmon- known in Korea as ‘Bubugam,’ which translates as “husband and wife” and refers to the cultivar’s distinctive habit of bearing fruit in side-by-side pairs. It is one of the more accessible Asian persimmons for home growers because it is self-fertile, which most Asian persimmons are not, and because it stays naturally compact rather than growing into a full-size persimmon tree.
The fruit is bright orange, large, and astringent- meaning, like most Asian persimmons of its type, the fruit must be allowed to fully ripen to a soft, tender state before it becomes the sweet, flavorful eating fruit persimmon is grown for. Picked while still firm, the fruit is mouth-drying and unpleasant; ripened until the flesh is jelly-soft, it becomes one of the most rewarding fall fruits. Calliope ripens in October and trees typically begin bearing two to three years after planting on their American persimmon rootstock.
Calliope is hardy to roughly 0°F, USDA Zone 7 and prefers half-day to full sun with well-drained soil. Like Asian persimmon generally, it is comparatively low-pressure for pests and diseases in most growing regions, requires little intervention beyond standard fruit-tree care, and rewards a sheltered, sunny position with reliable annual crops once established.
Overview
- Self-fertile Korean Asian persimmon.
- “Bubugam” — Korean for “husband and wife” — refers to paired fruit.
- Bright orange fruit eaten fully soft and ripe (astringent type).
- Naturally compact at roughly 12 ft.
- Hardy to roughly 0°F (USDA Zone 7).
- Comparatively low-pressure for pests and diseases.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Diospyros kaki ‘Bubugam’ (Calliope™)
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; well-drained soil
Hardiness: Hardy to roughly 0°F; USDA Zone 7
Rootstock: Grafted onto American persimmon rootstock
Bearing Age: 2–3 years after planting
Size at Maturity: Naturally compact at roughly 12 ft; can grow larger without pruning
Bloom Time: Late spring into early summer
Ripening Time: October; fruit must fully soften before eating
Pollination: Self-fertile
Pests & Diseases: Asian persimmon is comparatively low-pressure for pests and diseases in most growing regions
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Calliope’s combination of self-fertility, naturally compact habit, and the distinctive paired-fruit character make it one of the more practical Asian persimmons for home growers — a single tree gives reliable crops with the visual signature of side-by-side fruit pairs in the fall.
- Regional Insight: Asian persimmon performs especially well in mild-winter regions from the Pacific Northwest through coastal California, the Mid-Atlantic, and the inland South; Calliope’s Zone 7 hardiness places it comfortably across most of that range, with a sheltered siting helpful at the cold edge.
- Explore more persimmon in our collection: Persimmon
