Ziziphus mauritiana

Ziziphus mauritiana, also known as Indian jujube, Indian plum, Chinese date, Chinee apple, ber (Hindi: बेर) and dunks, is a tropical, spiny, evergreen shrub or small tree in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused with the closely related Chinese jujube (Z. jujuba): Z. mauritiana is common is tropical and subtropical climates, while Z. jujuba prefers temperate climates. The plant grows vigorously up to 12 metres (39 ft) high, with a trunk 30 centimetres (12 in) or more in diameter. It has a spreading crown with stipular spines and drooping branches. The fruit is oval, obovate, oblong or round, and can be 2.5–6 centimetres (0.98–2.36 in) long depending on the variety, having smooth, light green skin when unripe, turning yellow and then reddish brown as it ripens.

Description

A medium sized tree. It is thorny. It loses many of its leaves during the year. It grows up to 10-12 m high. The bark is grey, brown or pale red. Branches and the under surface of the leaves are densely hairy when young. The thorns arise from the base of the leaves. The leaves are alternate and simple. They are finely toothed. They can be oval or round and 8 cm long by 5 cm wide. The flowers are green and have a scent. They occur as 3-5 flowers together. The flowers are 1-2 cm long and on slender branches. The fruit are small, oval and yellow or brown. They are sweet. They are 2-5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. The fruit are green when young and turn yellow or brown when ripe. The pulp is fleshy, acid and edible. The fruit have one seed imbedded in the flesh in a hard stone. The fruit wrinkle on drying. Many varieties exist.

Edible Uses

The ripe fruit is eaten fresh, dried, candied, or made into jellies, preserves, chutney, sauces, and drinks. Unripe fruit are pickled. Young leaves are cooked and eaten or used in soups. Seed kernels are eaten raw or roasted as a coffee substitute. The fruit can also be used to make an alcoholic drink.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit is eaten fresh, dried, in jelly or candied. They can be used in jellies, preserves, chutney, sauces, and drinks. The unripe fruit are pickled. The ripe fruit are sliced or pounded and sun dried for storage. Young leaves are cooked and eaten. They are also used in soups. Seed kernels are eaten. The roasted seeds are used as a coffee substitute. The fruit are used to make an alcoholic drink. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer.

Medicinal Uses

Jujube is both a delicious fruit and an effective herbal remedy. It aids weight gain, improves muscular strength and increases stamina. In Chinese medicine it is prescribed as a tonic to strengthen liver function. The dried fruits contain saponins, triterpenoids and alkaloids. They are anodyne, anticancer, antidote, expectorant, pectoral, refrigerant, sedative, stomachic, styptic and tonic. They are considered to purify the blood and aid digestion, and are used internally in the treatment of a range of conditions including chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, pharyngitis, bronchitis, anaemia, irritability and hysteria. A mucilage made from the fruit is used to make bronchial pastilles. The seed contains a number of medically active compounds including saponins, triterpenes, flavonoids and alkaloids. It is hypnotic, narcotic, sialagogue, sedative, stomachic and tonic, and is used internally in the treatment of palpitations, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, night sweats and excessive perspiration. The root is used in the treatment of dyspepsia. A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of fevers. The root is made into a powder and applied to old wounds and ulcers. The leaves are astringent and febrifuge. A decoction of the roasted leaves is an effective treatment for cough and asthma. The leaves are said to promote the growth of hair, and are used to form a plaster in the treatment of strangury. A poultice made from the pounded fresh leaves is active against boils and impetigo. The plant is a folk remedy for anaemia, hypertonia, nephritis and nervous diseases. It is widely used in China as a treatment for burns. Japanese research has shown that jujube increases immune-system resistance. In one clinical trial in China 12 patients with liver complaints were given jujube, peanuts and brown sugar nightly. In four weeks their liver function had improved.

Known Hazards

Alcohol made from the fruit is a cause of cancer.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows well on sandy soils. It can survive droughts. It grows rapidly in dry places such as the Sahel. It can tolerate temperatures up to 44°C as well as periodic frosts once the trees are mature. It does best when the mean annual temperature is 22-30°C. It thrives in hot dry climates and arid zones. It grows in the Sahel. It needs adequate water during the fruiting season. It can grow at elevations up to 1,000 m in the tropics but does best below 600 m. It suits the lowlands. It grows in areas with rainfalls of 150-900 mm and is most common where rainfalls are 300-500 mm annually. It does not like excessive humidity for fruiting. It will grow on a range of soils but deep sandy loams with a pH of 7 or slightly higher are best. It can tolerate some salinity and water-logging. It can grow in arid places. It grows in Miombo woodland in Africa. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Africa, Algeria, Amazon, Andamans, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lesotho, Lesser Antilles, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Niger, Nigeria, North America, Northeastern India, NW India, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia*, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad-Togabo, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. The hard seed coat makes them difficult to germinate. The shell can be carefully cracked and seed should be sown fresh. They can be soaked for 50 hours or put in concentrated sulphuric acid for 6 minutes to improve germination. Seed can be sown in plastic bags then transplanted after 18-24 weeks. It does not transplant easily so direct planting is best. Grafting and inarching can be used. It is also budded onto the rootstocks of wild species. Light pruning during the dry dormant season to train the tree is recommended. Regular pruning in the hot dry season encourages new growth. A spacing of 6-12 m is recommended. For larger fruit better varieties are grafted into rootstocks of Ziziphus nummularia or Ziziphus jujuba.

Propagation

Storage of the seed for 4 months to let it after-ripen improves germination. If facilities are available, stratification in sand for 60 - 90 days at 5°c is recommended. Scarification, extracting the seed from the stone, and treating it with sulphuric acid has also been recommended. To germinate, seeds need full sunlight. Seed should germinate in 3 - 4 weeks when the seed is left in stone, quicker if it is cracked, and only 1 week if it is carefully extracted. The seed should be sown in full light in trays or beds, and the seedlings pricked out when 2 pairs of true leaves have developed. It is likely that seedlings will need about 15 months in the nursery. Root cuttings.

Other Uses

The bark, including the root bark, contains tannins. The leaves are a source of tannins. When pounded and mashed in water, the bark yields brown and grey or reddish dyes. The heartwood is buff-coloured, pale red or brown to dark brown, sometimes banded or with dark streaks; it is not sharply demarcated from pale brown sapwood. The grain is straight, occasionally wavy; texture fine to coarse; wood fairly lustrous. The wood is medium to heavy in weight, hard, strong and durable. It seasons well but may split slightly during seasoning; easy to work and takes a high finish. The wood is used for general construction, furniture and cabinet work, tool handles, agricultural implements, tent pegs, golf clubs, gun stocks, sandals, yokes, harrows, toys, turnery, household utensils, bowling pins, baseball bats, chisels and packaging. It is also suitable for the production of veneer and plywood. Basically, any product that needs a durable, close-grained wood can be made from it. The wood produces excellent firewood (sapwood has 4,900 kcals/kg) and good charcoal. Its drooping branches are easily accessible for harvesting Plants have an extensive root system and can be used to aid in the fixation of coastal dune sand. The tree is useful as a living fence; its spiny stems and branches deter livestock.

Production

A budded tree fruits are 4 years and produces for 50 years. Seedling trees take a year longer to fruit. Yields of 80-130 kg of fruit per tree per year occur. Fruit development takes 4-6 months. As fruit does not all ripen at once several harvests are needed. Unripe fruit do not ripen after picking. In northeastern India trees flower between September and November and fruit in December and January.

Other Information

An important Indian fruit. It suits Sahel regions. It is an important food in the arid zones. They are high in Vitamin C. It is a commonly used fruit in West Africa. It is widely cultivated.

Notes

It is classified as a weed in Queensland. It has been badly affected by a mite in Kuwait but resistant types are available.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Ai-lok, Ajapriya, Angaw, Badara, Badari, Baer, Baher, Bair, Bak tai noi, Barkoli, Bayar, Bayer, Ber, Bera, Beri, Bodokoli, Bodori, Bogori, Boir, Bokuri, Bor, Borai, Bordi, Boroi, Bwigri, Chinese Apple, Chinese-date, Cottony jujube, Dao, Desert apple, Djabi, Dunks, Elandai, Elanji, Elanthai, Elentha, Elladu, Esilang, Gangareegu, Geba, Gob, Gol kul, Gusura, Hilvid, Ilanthai, Indian-cherry, Indian-plum, Jangali bayar, Janum beli, Kapulai, Karakandhavu, Karkana, Karkandhu, Kashi kunnaaru, Keeju, Kenar, Kie, Kok ka than, Kolan, Korna, Korno, Kul, Kunnaaru, Kuvala, Lanthai, Mada bera, Madhuraphala, Madian, Magaria, Magarya, Malay jujube, Masan, Masawo, Mkunazi, Msawu, Msondoka, Mtanula, Mtungutu, Mugunuga, Mussao, Nabak, Ngai-chi, Nkunazi, Olongo, Putrie, Quraqura, Reegu, Renga, Sidr, Silka, Soh-broi, Tao nha, Thaigungdi, Thakri, Than, Tilak, Tilomwo, Tirokwo, Tomborom, Yalachi, Yellande, Zornia

References (192)

• 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
• Acharya K. P. and Acharya, R., 2010, Eating from the Wild: Indigenous knowledge on wild edible plants in Parroha VDC of Rupandehi District, Central Nepal. International Journal of Social Forestry. 3(1):28-48
• Akinnifesi, F. K., et al, 2006, Towards the development of Miombo fruit trees as commercial crops in Southern Africa. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods. Vol. 16 pp 1-3-121
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 702
• Ambe, G., 2001, Les fruits sauvages comestibles des savanes guinéennes de Côte-d’Ivoire : état de la connaissance par une population locale, les Malinké. Biotechnol. Agron. Soc. Environ. 5(1), 43-48

More from Rhamnaceae

Colubrina texensis

Hog plum, Coma

Condalia brandegeei

Condalia correllii

Corell's snakewood

Condalia globosa

Bitter Condalia

Condalia hookeri

Bluewood, Capul negro, Brasil

Condalia mexicana