I have one with similarly pitiful growth that has survived the winter without a problem. They really are slow to get going I've heard, and rather expensive to boot (and possibly as a result of that sluggish start).

Interesting. I have heard just the opposite, that they grow fast. I only have one but it has grown a good 3 feet this year since being planted in April. Now persimmons they grow SLOWWWWWWWWW for me.

Bamboo: I have a Fu FU persimmon that does not het very tall but grew rapidly. This is my 4th year and I got about 100 persimmons.

I also had a similar experience but with the opposite result. My Shan Xi Li put out initial growth but then just seemed to stagnate. The leaves eventually wilted. It did not make it through the winter even though it was protected. The rootstock put out new growth which I removed so that hopefully the tree would put it's energy above the graft, but it never got any new growth above the graft. I did get it replaced.

They tend to do well in warm environments, but it's very variety dependent. Some varieties that are grown in Tennessee and Louisiana that tend to produce heavily in those SE environments, like Sherwood and GA-866, tend to fruit poorly in the Southwest. Others, like "common" Li and Sugarcane seem to do well everywhere. Your best bet is to search around on the Internet and contact individuals that are growing them in environments similar to your own and see what types are doing well for them.

I have two Jujubes (Lang and LI), the Li is in the ground and has grown fast. Now it has so many fruits it has taken a sweeping form. Lang is contained and while showing less vigour, it grows well. As to winter hardiness, the contained one, which has the roots exposed to freezing, has taken as low as -19�C for a few days last year without damage

If all the leaves fall down in late Fall, it is a good sign of survival. If leaves retain and dry on the tree after late Fall it is sign of dying. In mid winter season you can also check on the wood by trying to crack a few small branches at the tip, if they are dried like dead wood, then we should try cracking a bit further or try bigger branches, if they are all dried then we can come to a conclusion that it is 99% gone.