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Re: More persimmon notes

At 23:11 4/25/97, Hugo Latymer wrote:
>May I add to Rachel Walker's excellent information that in the tree's
>favour is that it's leaves colour in autumn better than almost any other
>Mediterranean tree. Against it is that it's rootstock, ( D. virginiana is
>used here too in Spain,) is toxic to fish and insects. I have never seen
>this mentioned in any publication, but I have in the nursery a rootstock
>that has sprouted and made a tree of D. virginiana. The fallen leaves have
>for many years killed all fish (including the very tough mosquito fish,) in
>a pond in its shade,  turning the water pink. When the little tubular
>flowers are out, the bees, who seem fond of the nectar, become drugged by
>it and some even die.

        I almost hate to ask this question as it runs the risk of making me
look as ignorant as I am, but...If the rootstock is poisonous why would the
leaves kill fish?
Jerry Heverly, Oakland
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