DIY Dried Persimmon Garland for Christmas

INSIDE : Make a stunning, natural holiday garland with persimmons. Easy step by step instructions for a festive, zero-waste holiday decoration. Get the tutorial below because DIY dried persimmon garland for Christmas will be your new favorite thing!

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Everyone has seen at this point, how to make a Dried Orange Slice garland… but did you know there are other fruits you can dry and make an equally if not even better dried garland or ornaments?!!

The deep orange color of persimmons adds a warm, vibrant pop to decor, especially when compared to other options like a simple orange slice garland. So, move over Orange Slices… Dried Persimmons are here for their moment of holiday glory!

Check out my Instagram video on how I made these.

What supplies do I need to make a persimmon garland?

• At least 5 or 6 Persimmons
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Rimmed baking sheet with wire rack
• Cotton ribbon (You want a sturdy ribbon to hold the weight of the persimmons)
• Hot Glue
• Optional : Canvas Advent calendar + Striped Butcher Block cutting board

This process is very similar to drying oranges. You can read all about how to dry Orange Slices for decoration in this post I wrote. I loved adding dried fruit to my Natural Flocked Christmas tree.

How to make a persimmon garland

Many people find persimmon garlands beautiful, describing them as having a vibrant, rustic and festive feel for the holidays.

You can often combine persimmon garlands with other natural elements like pinecones, bay leaves, holly leaves, cranberries or even wooden beads. This type of garland is used as a cozy and seasonal decoration, fitting well with harvest or holiday decor on mantels, tables or banisters. 

I paired mine with dried orange slices and dried whole oranges for a fun layered look around our Advent Calendar.

How thick to cut persimmon when drying

Since I was drying my persimmon fruit for a garland, I wasn’t worried about their thickness in terms of eating. I used a cutting board and sharp knife and cut them roughly 1/8 to 1/4″ thick.

You could also use a mandoline slicer for this step since persimmons are a more dense fruit, a mandoline would cut them nicely.

I especially love when cutting persimmons open to see the beautiful sunburst shape inside!

How long does it take to dry a persimmon in the oven?

Since persimmons are a more dense fruit than an orange, be sure to give yourself quite a bit more drying time than when drying orange slices (3-5 hours).

Drying a persimmon can take anywhere from approximately 7-8 hours in an oven and about the same amount of time in a dehydrator.

What should I set the oven at for drying persimmons?

I set the oven to 200’F and once to temperature, placed my cut persimmons on a rimmed baking sheet with wire rack.

I let the persimmons bake for an hour and then removed them from the oven, flipped them and set it for another hour.

Since I placed mine on a rack on the baking sheet, the air was able to move all around them and I didn’t need to flip them as often as you would simply placing on parchment paper. If they are on parchment paper, it is a good idea to flip every half hour for a more even dry.

What does a dried persimmon look like?

A dried persimmon has a deeper orange color with a wrinkled star like fruit center shape. The persimmons are done drying once they’re no longer sticky and the edges start to curl.

Adding dried persimmons to a ribbon

I dried my persimmons in the oven off and on for two days because I never had a solid 7 or 8 hours to be at home. So once they were fully dried to my satisfaction (still plump looking, but didn’t have a “juicy” look to them) it was time to create my holiday garland!

I used a lovely ribbon for my garland because these dried fruit will have just a bit of weight to them, so using something more delicate like Chiffon Silk will pull and not look as nice.

Then, it’s as simple as using hot glue to secure your dried fruit to the ribbon.

I spaced mine out roughly 3″ apart and I loved incorporating the persimmon tops along with the sliced portions because the tops almost look like a beautiful dried flower!

And check back in a few days to see how I layered a whole dried orange garland into this one for even more loveliness!

And there you have it—a stunning Christmas garland made with natural materials and a bit of patience! While the drying process takes time, the actual assembly is quick and incredibly rewarding.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with other additions like cinnamon sticks or dried orange slices next time. Now that you know the simple ‘how-to,’ you can easily recreate this beautiful, long-lasting decoration year after year. Happy holiday crafting!

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