Jujube is a small, often thorny tree grown for its sweet fruit, which is crisp like an apple when fresh and chewy like a date when dried. In the US it is grown as a backyard fruit tree, and it has escaped cultivation in places along the Gulf Coast. It is also called Chinese date or red date.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Zigzag twigs carry a pair of spines at each node, one straight and one short and hooked, though some trees are nearly thornless.
- Growth form
- A deciduous tree or large shrub, usually about 16–33 ft (5–10 m) tall. It sends up from the roots.
- Leaves
- Glossy, leathery-looking oval leaves about 1–3 in (3–7 cm) long, with three strong veins running from the base and finely toothed edges.
- Flowers
- Tiny yellowish-green flowers, about 1/4 in (5 mm) across, cluster where the leaves meet the stem. They are easy to overlook but strongly fragrant.
- Fruit
- An oval fruit about 0.8–1.6 in (2–4 cm) long that turns from shiny green to red-brown, then wrinkles as it dries. Each holds one hard stone. Cultivated varieties can be larger.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- home orchards
- gardens
- dry, sunny sites
- Range
- Native to China, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. It was brought to the US from Europe in 1837 and to California from France in 1876. Today it is grown as a garden fruit tree across the southern half of the country, and in places along the Gulf Coast it has escaped from cultivation.
- Preferred conditions
- Loves sun and heat and tolerates drought thanks to a deep . It is often rated USDA zone 6, but it needs a long, hot summer to ripen its fruit and new growth, or a mild winter can still kill it.
Name and classification
- About the name
- The name Ziziphus zizyphus was used for a long time, but Ziziphus jujuba is now the accepted name.
- Varieties and forms
- Named cultivars such as 'Li' and 'Lang' are grown for bigger fruit; 'Lang' fruit can reach about 2.4 in (6 cm) long.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- The small lidded tea caddy used in the Japanese tea ceremony is called a natsume because its shape resembles the fruit.
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