Root or trunk on my Asian persimmon?

I have a question about what is upper graft wood, and therefore part of the trunk, and what is root on an Asian persimmon. I got this potted by mail order this summer. The grafted sapling's trunk came straight out of the pot, no root flare. Leaves became yellowish, and I gave it some Fertilome Root Stimulator, very low Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potash. It had little response, though all other struggling plants have really responded.

THEN I re-potted it in a bigger pot, to grow more till fall. This revealed a buried 3"+ section of much darker wood and then a slight flare and roots. That's the graft wood, I thought. There were no roots coming from the black formerly buried trunk part. I potted it with that black wood out of the ground. The leaves stayed yellowish. I gave it more Fertilome to little effect. The yellow leaves may be a completely separate issue, of course.

Yesterday, I planted this tree out. I split the difference, burying about 1"+ of the dark graft wood, as it seems to me. There were no roots coming from the dark wood, more support for a trunk that got planted too deep. But again, it stayed black and it and the tree did not change after 2+ months above ground.

The picture shows the black trunk base and the clear line between the bottom black part, which I think is the graft, and the lighter brown trunk. I can bring in some more soil if the black should be buried. Or I can lift it if more of the black should be out of the ground. I have written the nursery but have gotten no response yet. Help!

I suspect the graft is where the thicker root stock connects to the thinner cultivar.

Dennis Bangham wrote:I suspect the graft is where the thicker root stock connects to the thinner cultivar.

Thanks, Dennis. So that IS trunk and I should lift it. I really think now that this tree has been struggling because the lower part of the trunk was planted. And I need to go lift it a bit more tomorrow.

This came from Stark Brothers, though they probably bought it from a grower.