Japanese persimmons, Diospyros kaki L., were introduced into the United States from Japan by Admiral Perry that uncovered the fruit expanding on the coastline of Southern Japan in 1851.
Most of the very early Japanese persimmon introductions in 1828 were grown from seed in Washington, DC, but were not successful, due to the uncommonly chilly wintertimes experienced during that period.
http://spencerniri175.edublogs.org/2019/04/30/strasenreinigungsgebuhren-baumschule-kapituliert-im-bsr-streit/