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Persimmon (Kaki) (Diospyros kaki)

I have seen a good many fruiting persimmon trees here in southern France, in
a zone that approximates to 8/7- wet winters with minimum temperature
usually -5 to -12 degrees centigrade( 23 to 10 degrees Farenheit, I almost
forgot to say this!). Summers are warm and usually dry with maximum
temperatures about 35 degrees centigrade(95 degrees Farenheit). There
usually six or so weeks without rain where I live. Fruiting varieties are
grafted on to Diospyros virginiana. There is a large tree a few hundred
yards from our house which is covered with the large orange fruit each year.
It is in a frost pocket and if it is more than ten years old it must have
stood temperatures of -18 degrees centigrade(0 degrees Farenheit) The fruits
are found on sale in the local shops in the autumn, they have a sweet
flavour with an unusual taste. The best known  named varieties here are
Muscat, Lycopersicum and above all Costata. Incidentally, the fruits must be
kept for some time after picking(bletted), they are very astringent when
first picked. I think that the main thing is to have a long warm autumn and
possibly to give some water in the dry season, although Diospyros does
appear in Jane Taylor's "Plants for Dry Gardens", an excellent book.

>From Gordon Walker

PS Can anyone tell me what the "sunset zones" are?
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