Persimmon (American), Deer Magnet, Bare Root

American Persimmon ‘Deer Magnet’ (Diospyros virginiana)

‘Deer Magnet’ is a selected cultivar of American persimmon known for its exceptionally heavy fruit drop in fall, making it a powerful attractant for deer and wildlife. This cold-hardy, dioecious native tree thrives in a wide range of soils, tolerates drought, flooding, and neglect, and provides abundant fruit that ripens late in the season—often after frosts. Ideal for wildlife food plots, silvopasture systems, edible landscapes, and regenerative planting projects, ‘Deer Magnet’ combines rugged reliability with high ecological value.

Key Characteristics

• Late-Falling Fruit for Peak Wildlife Attraction
  ‘Deer Magnet’ produces medium to large orange fruit that begins dropping in October and continues into November and December, making it a critical late-season food source for deer, raccoons, foxes, opossums, turkeys, and overwintering birds. The soft, sweet fruit becomes most palatable after frost.
• Cold-Hardy and Adaptable Native Tree
  This cultivar is based on Diospyros virginiana, one of the most adaptable native fruit trees. It grows in zones 4–9, tolerates medium-dry to medium-wet soils, and handles drought, seasonal flooding, and poor fertility with ease.
• Excellent for Silvopasture and Food Forest Edges
  With its deep taproot, broad canopy, and wildlife value, ‘Deer Magnet’ fits well into silvopasture plantings, native food forests, and restoration projects. It works particularly well along field edges, hedgerows, or wild orchard systems where wildlife value is prioritized.
• Dioecious – Requires Male Tree for Pollination
  This is a female cultivar selected for fruiting, so it requires a male American persimmon nearby for pollination. A single male can pollinate several females. If you are planting for fruit production or wildlife forage, be sure to include a male tree in your design.
• Low Maintenance and Long-Lived
  Persimmons are remarkably easy to care for—once established, they are pest- and disease-resistant, fire-adapted, and long-lived, often producing fruit for decades with minimal input.

Product Details

• Native Range: Eastern and Central U.S.
• Plant Life Cycle: Deciduous tree
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
• Soil Requirements: Medium-dry to medium
• Mature Height: 30–50 feet
• Bloom Time: May–June
• Bloom Color: Yellow-green (inconspicuous)
• Fruit Qualities: Medium-large, orange, sweet when soft
• Fruit Uses: Wildlife forage (also edible fresh, dried, or in baked goods)
• Fruit Ripening Month: October–December
• Pollination Requirements: Requires male persimmon nearby
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9

‘Deer Magnet’ lives up to its name—offering unmatched late-season fruit drop and wildlife appeal. A rugged, dependable tree for wildlife food plots, regenerative systems, and native edible landscapes.