Ziziphus jujuba

Jujube is a deciduous tree growing to 10m tall and 7m wide at a fast rate, hardy to UK zone 6. Hermaphrodite, insect and bee-pollinated flowers bloom April to May with seeds ripening in October. Self-fertile and wildlife-attracting, it thrives in light sandy, medium loamy, or heavy clay soils, preferring well-drained and nutritionally poor soils. It tolerates mildly acid to very alkaline pH, cannot grow in shade, and adapts to both dry and moist soils with drought tolerance.

Description

A small deciduous tree. It can grow to 13 m tall. It has drooping branches. There are thorns on the branches. The plant sends up thorny suckers often at a distance from the tree. These need to be cut off. They can be used for rootstock for grafting. The leaves are small and oval. They are 2-5 cm long and bright shiny green. The leaves turn bright yellow before falling. During the growing season, each node of a woody branch produces one to 10 small branches. These fall off later. The flowers are small and 0.5 cm across. They are white to green and produced in large numbers in the angles of leaves. The fruit are round or long and vary from cherry to plum size. They are 2-3 cm long. They have a single hard stone with two seeds. The fruit changes from green to yellow with red spots as it ripens. When fully red and ripe it softens and wrinkles. There are many named varieties.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and is mealy, sweet, and sourish-sweet in flavour. It can be enjoyed fresh, dried like dates, or used in puddings, cakes, breads, jellies, and soups. Dried fruit has the finest flavour. Fruits are often left to become wrinkled and spongy, which increases their sweetness, before being eaten fresh or cooked. Dried fruit can also be ground into a powder used in preparing kochujang, a fermented hot pepper-soybean paste resembling miso. The fruit contains about 8.7% sugars, 2.6% protein, 1.4% ash, 1.7% pectin, and 1.3% tannin. Each fruit — approximately 25mm long, though cultivated varieties may be larger — contains one or two seeds. Average yields from wild trees in the Himalayas are around 9.5kg per year. The fruit can also serve as a coffee substitute. Dried fruit provides approximately 350 calories per 100g and contains (per 100g): protein 7.3g, fat 1.2g, carbohydrate 84g, fibre 4g, ash 3g, calcium 130mg, phosphorus 168mg, iron 3.5mg, sodium 12mg, potassium 1050mg, vitamin A 125mg, thiamine 0.1mg, riboflavin 0.18mg, niacin 2.8mg, and vitamin C 300mg. The leaves can be cooked and eaten but are considered a famine food, used only when other options are exhausted.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh, dried or preserved in sugar. They can be stewed, baked, pickled, or used in puddings, cakes, breads, jellies, soups and sweetmeats. The ripe fruit are powdered and cooked with millet or rice. The kernels are edible.

Medicinal Uses

Jujube is both a valued food and an effective herbal remedy, known to support weight gain, improve muscular strength, and increase stamina. In Chinese medicine it is prescribed as a tonic to strengthen liver function, and Japanese research has demonstrated that it increases immune-system resistance. In one Chinese clinical trial, 12 patients with liver complaints who were given jujube, peanuts, and brown sugar nightly showed improved liver function within four weeks. The fruit also acts as an antidote, diuretic, emollient, and expectorant. Dried fruits contain saponins, triterpenoids, and alkaloids and are used as an anodyne, anticancer agent, pectoral, refrigerant, sedative, stomachic, styptic, and tonic. They are considered to purify the blood and aid digestion, and are used internally for chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, pharyngitis, bronchitis, anaemia, irritability, and hysteria. The seed contains saponins, triterpenes, flavonoids, and alkaloids and is used as a hypnotic, narcotic, sedative, stomachic, and tonic, particularly for palpitations, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, night sweats, and excessive perspiration. The root treats dyspepsia; a decoction of the root has been used for fevers, and powdered root is applied to old wounds and ulcers. The leaves are astringent and febrifuge, said to promote hair growth, and are formed into a plaster for treating strangury. The plant is a folk remedy for anaemia, hypertonia, nephritis, and nervous diseases, and is widely used in China as a treatment for burns.

Known Hazards

Caution in diabetics on allopathic medication.

Distribution

A subtropical plant. It can stand high temperatures in summer then due to winter dormancy can tolerate very cold temperatures. It only requires a small winter chill to enable it to fruit. They do best in warm sunny positions. They cannot grow in shade. They do best in sandy well drained soils. They can grow in soils with high salinity or alkalinity. It can tolerate drought but fruits best with adequate rainfall. It grows on the Deccan in India. It grows in western Sudan. It suits hardiness zones 7-10. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Africa, Antigua and Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Britain, Cambodia, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central America, Central Asia, Chad, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, East Africa, Ethiopia, Eurasia, Europe, Fiji, France, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, NW India, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Serbia, Sikkim, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Slovenia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa,

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils so long as they are well-drained. Prefers an open loam and a hot dry position. Succeeds in an alkaline soil. Plants are fast growing, even in poor soils. Plants are hardy to about -20°c. Another report says that they are hardy to about -30°c when fully dormant. The jujube is often cultivated in warm temperate zones for its edible fruit, there are many named varieties. The trees need a hot dry summer if they are to fruit well, which rather restricts their potential in a country like Britain. The tree spreads by root suckers and self-sowing, often forming dense thickets. Where the climate suits it, the plant can escape from cultivation and become an invasive and problematic weed. Trees are resistant to most pests and diseases. Responds well to coppicing. Trees form a deep taproot and should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible. Fast growing and quick to mature, it can fruit in 3 - 4 years from seed. A sprouting standard sending up shoots from the base. most cultivars of the Ziziphus jujuba tree (jujube) are self-fertile. However, pollination can be improved by introducing bees. Fruits are typically harvested in late Summer to early Autumn. It flowers from late Spring to early Summer. Jujube is a moderately fast-growing tree that, under optimal conditions, reaches maturity in about 3-4 years.

Propagation

Seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed requires 3 months of warm stratification followed by 3 months of cold stratification. Germination should occur in the first spring, though it may take a further 12 months. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame for at least the first winter before planting out in early summer. Root cuttings can be taken in a greenhouse in winter; best results come from maintaining a temperature of 5–10°C. Cuttings of mature wood from the current season's growth can be taken November to January in a frame. Suckers can be divided during the dormant season and planted directly into permanent positions if needed.

Other Uses

Ziziphus jujuba can be used in windbreaks, hedgerows, and for soil improvement through nitrogen fixation, and also provides shade and erosion control. Plants can be grown as a hedge and trained as an espalier. The small fragrant flowers are rich in nectar and attract pollinators including bees. The fruit is eaten by birds and other wildlife, and the dense foliage provides shelter for nesting and roosting. Rough bark and dense foliage also offer overwintering sites for some invertebrates. The wood is dense, hard, compact, and tough, used for turnery and agricultural implements; it also makes excellent fuel and good charcoal.

Production

Fruit are produced 4-5 years after planting. Fruit do not ripen at the same time so fruit can be picked from the one tree over several weeks. Fruit need to be picked when ripe. Ripe fruit can be stored at room temperature for about one week. Tree dried fruit stores for a long time.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant. About half a million hectares are grown in Xingjiang in China.

Notes

Plants are affected by witches broom (phytoplasma) that are spread by insects. Calcium chloride has been used to stop fruit cracking. Fruit are reasonably high in folates 23μg/100.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Adidaram, Amlai, Annep, Attiram, Azufaifa, Azufatio, Baira, Bairi, Ban ber, Barari, Bary konkamber, Bayar, Bayer, Bedara china, Ber, Bera, Beri, Boroi, Dara, Debara, Elanthai, Eng-si, Hirnap, Hung jo, Hung zao, Hunnap, Jand beri, Jujube, Kandiari, Kandika, Karkanra, Kunezi, Lian hua, Mahkaw, Makhkaw-hku, Malay jujube, Mansanitas, Markhanai, Markhanray, Masan, Matan, MotaBor, Moti ber, Mutondo, Nabak, Navadni čičimak, Olijf, Phitni, Phut-saa-chiin, Phut-sah-chin, Pitni-ber, Put sa, Ranbor, Reygoo, Sagee, Sageen, Seo bair, Sengri, Simli, Singli, Suanzao, Tao ta, Tomonon, Tsao, Unab, Unabi, Unnab, Urnabi, Widara, Yellanday kai, Yububa, Zazen, Zi, Zi-daw-thi

References (104)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 42
• Ahmad, K. & Pieroni, A., 2016, Folk knowledge of wild food plants among the tribal communities of Thakht-e-Sulaiman Hills, North-West Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 12:17
• Alexander, D.M., Scholefield, P.B., Frodsham, A., 1982, Some tree fruits for tropical Australia. CSIRO, Australia. p 17
• Ali, H., et al, 2011, Ethnobotanical profile of some plant resources in Malam Jabba valley of Swat, Pakistan. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 5(18), pp 4676-4687
• Al-Qura'n, S. A., 2010, Ethnobotanical and Ecological Studies of Wild Edible Plants in Jordan. Libyan Agriculture Research Center Journal International 1(4):231-243 (As Ziziphus ziziphus)

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