Can I Grow Asian Persimmon in New Hampshire?

USDA Zones 3b-6b · Plant zone range 7-10

Unlikely — Zone Mismatch

Asian persimmon (zones 7-10) does not overlap with New Hampshire's zone range (3b-6b). Growing outdoors is unlikely without significant protection.

One zone short — what would close it

Asian Persimmon is hardy to zone 7, and the warmest ground in New Hampshire is zone 6 — 1 zone short. Planted in open ground it will not survive a New Hampshire winter. To grow it here, grow asian persimmon in a container and move it under cover for the coldest weeks, or give it a greenhouse.

Season extension and overwintering under cover both work at this margin. How to buy the weeks →

Zone math from 7-10 (plant) against 3-6 (New Hampshire). Lift modeled by crop_engine Sprint 20B effective_zone_modifier (+2 zones) via api/fast_sections.py Unlock Engine v2.

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New Hampshire spans zones 3b-6b, but your yard sits in exactly one — and slope, tree cover, and cold-air pockets nudge it further. Enter your address and we'll score asian persimmon against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.

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Zone Comparison

Asian Persimmon Needs

  • USDA Zones: 7-10
  • Frost-Free Days: 150+
  • Sun: Full Sun
  • Mature size: 25 ft tall
  • Picking window: ~30 days of harvest
  • Drought tolerance: Medium

New Hampshire Has

  • USDA Zones: 3b-6b
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 22 - May 4
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 10 - Oct 21
  • Annual Rainfall: 36-50 inches
  • Common Soils: Glacial till, Sandy loam, Rocky loam

Plant Zone Range (zones 7-10)

7a
10b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Preferred Soil pH

3.5 (Acidic)7.0 (Neutral)9.0 (Alkaline)
Highlighted range: pH 5.08.3

Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.

When to Plant Asian Persimmon in New Hampshire

The frost window

Across New Hampshire, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 22 and May 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 159-day window you can count on — up to 182 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.

Winter standing

New Hampshire runs as cold as USDA zone 3, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for asian persimmon, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether asian persimmon is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within New Hampshire; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.

Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Coos County, not the statewide average.

Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.

Growing Season Fit

The zone check says asian persimmon does not survive a New Hampshire winter in the ground. The season figures below measure a different question — whether it could finish a season here at all — and they only bear on New Hampshire under protection.

Frost-free days

Asian Persimmon wants 150+ frost-free days; a typical New Hampshire site sees ~171 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves a workable window — start indoors to bank time.

Growing degree days

Asian Persimmon needs ~2500 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~1870 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so New Hampshire's typical season runs short on heat — pick a south-facing site and consider season extension.

Chill hours

Asian Persimmon requires ~200 chill hours (32-45°F dormancy window). New Hampshire typically banks ~2500 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), which keeps this plant on track.

GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.

Soil + Drainage Fit

Asian Persimmon tolerates a wide pH range (pH 5-8.3) — 3.3 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in New Hampshire. A soil test is still worth having, but for what else it tells you about this site, not to clear this plant. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5.5 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a New Hampshire soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your New Hampshire site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.

Your land, not the state average

New Hampshire's soils run mostly fine sandy loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. Asian Persimmon needs about 59 inches of workable depth, so it is that horizon — not the surface — you are testing for. That map unit, not the state average, decides how asian persimmon performs.

Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.

Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. New Hampshire soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.

Asian Persimmon in New Hampshire — Quick Answer

  • Verdict: Unlikely — Zone Mismatch
  • Plant Zones: 7-10 (USDA PLANTS Database)
  • State Zones: 3b-6b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
  • Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Apr 22 - May 4 to Oct 10 - Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
  • Days to Maturity: 1460 days

What Else to Consider for Asian Persimmon in New Hampshire

Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but New Hampshire growers also need to think about:

Very short season in the White Mountains (80-100 frost-free days)

Rocky glacial soils throughout the state

Harsh winters with deep snow cover

Growing asian persimmon here specifically

At ~1460 days to harvest, asian persimmon barely fits New Hampshire's ~171 frost-free days — there's little slack if spring runs cold.

Give asian persimmon an indoor head start and a row cover in fall to beat the first freeze. How to handle it →

What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every New Hampshire grower, not just asian persimmon — is covered on the New Hampshire growing guide.

Timing shifts within New Hampshire

New Hampshire isn't one climate. In Coos County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 13 — roughly 16 days later than the recorded state median — so plant asian persimmon to your county's window, not the statewide date.

Asian Persimmon needs about 150 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. 9 of New Hampshire’s 10 counties give it that outright. The tightest that does is Carroll County at 155 frost-free days — 5 to spare. Below that line you are transplanting or extending the season, not direct-sowing.

County last-freeze dates and frost-free day counts: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). Asian Persimmon's 150-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.

Pollinator + Wildlife Value

Asian Persimmon draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, asian persimmon can only work that bloom inside New Hampshire's frost window — roughly 171 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 22 - May 4) and closing at the first (Oct 10 - Oct 21), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.

Good to Know Before You Plant Asian Persimmon

Asian Persimmon is listed as toxic to dogs (seeds) at a mild level (ASPCA). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear.

New Hampshire Cooperative Extension

For New Hampshire-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for asian persimmon, the canonical source is UNH Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.

Is Asian Persimmon native to New Hampshire?

No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Asian Persimmon as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Hampshire's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Hampshire natives keeps local pollinators fed too.

Looking for plants that belong here? The New Hampshire growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.

Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.

Common Questions About Growing Asian Persimmon in New Hampshire

When can I plant Asian Persimmon in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 22 and May 4, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 10 and Oct 21 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Asian Persimmon, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in New Hampshire and publishes no fall establishment date for it — check its hardiness range against your own zone before treating it as a permanent planting.

What hardiness zone is Asian Persimmon grown in across New Hampshire?

New Hampshire spans USDA hardiness zones 3b-6b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Asian Persimmon carries a range of zones 7-10, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.

How many frost-free days does a typical New Hampshire site have?

A typical New Hampshire site sees ~171 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Asian Persimmon needs 150+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Coos, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.

Is Asian Persimmon native to New Hampshire?

No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Asian Persimmon as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Hampshire's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Hampshire natives keeps local pollinators fed too.

How should I amend the soil for Asian Persimmon in New Hampshire?

Asian Persimmon tolerates pH 5-8.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3.3-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a New Hampshire site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.

Will Asian Persimmon actually grow on my specific land in New Hampshire?

State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores asian persimmon against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in New Hampshire

State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores asian persimmon against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.

Three things about your lot that New Hampshire asian persimmon averages can't show:

Your soil pHYour frost-free days — New Hampshire averages 171Your sun & shade

We read public map data around New Hampshire — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources read at your address, not the New Hampshire asian persimmon average

Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →

Cite this dataset

Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643

Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643

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