Jujube

Profile

Family

Rhamnaceae

Habit

Tree

Height

10.5 m

Spread

7 m

Growth

very fast

Lifespan

800 years

First yield

after 4 years

Hardiness

zone 6–10

Shade tolerance

full sun

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam

Soil moisture

very dry – moist

pH

5.5 – 8

Synonyms

chinesische Dattel,

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: Fruit can be consumed raw or cooked, offering a starchy and sweet taste with a hint of sourness. It can be enjoyed fresh, dried, or incorporated into various dishes like puddings, cakes, and soups. Dried fruit is particularly flavorful and versatile, often ground into powder for making "kochujang," a fermented paste akin to miso. Each fruit is approximately 13 mm in diameter and typically contains one or two seeds. Wild trees in the Himalayas yield an average of 9.5 kg of fruit annually. The fruit's composition includes around 8.7% sugar, 2.6% protein, 1.4% ash, 1.7% pectin, and 1.3% tannin. While usually 25 mm long, cultivated varieties can grow larger. Additionally, the fruit can serve as a coffee alternative, and in emergencies, the leaves are edible when cooked.

Medicinal: Jujube is a nutritious fruit with medicinal properties that can aid in weight gain, enhance muscle strength, and boost endurance. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is recommended as a liver tonic. Studies in Japan have demonstrated its ability to strengthen the immune system. A clinical trial in China involved 12 individuals with liver issues who consumed a mixture of jujube, peanuts, and brown sugar nightly. Within a month, their liver function showed improvement. Jujube is recognized for its diverse therapeutic properties, including being an antidote, diuretic, expectorant, analgesic, and tonic. It is believed to purify the blood and aid digestion. The dried fruits of jujube contain beneficial compounds like saponins, triterpenoids, and alkaloids. Internally, they are used to address conditions such as chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and anemia. The seeds contain active medicinal components like saponins, triterpenes, flavonoids, and alkaloids, which are utilized to alleviate issues like palpitations, insomnia, and excessive sweating. Jujube root is employed for digestive problems and as a remedy for fever. It can be processed into a powder for application on wounds and ulcers. The leaves have astringent properties, promote hair growth, and are beneficial for conditions like stranguria. This plant is a popular folk remedy for various ailments such as anemia, hypertension, and nervous disorders. In China, it is commonly used for treating burns.

Other uses: Plants can be cultivated to form hedges. The wood is dense, hard, compact, and tough, suitable for various uses such as turning, agricultural tools, and as fuel, including charcoal production.

Growing

The jujube tree thrives in various soil types, provided they have good drainage, preferring open loam and hot, dry areas, including alkaline soils. It grows rapidly, even in poor soil conditions. The plants can withstand temperatures down to about -20°C, with some sources suggesting they can survive even lower temperatures of -30°C when fully dormant. Cultivated in warm temperate regions for its edible fruit, the jujube tree has numerous named varieties. Requiring a hot, dry summer for optimal fruit production, the plant can spread through root suckers and self-seeding, creating dense thickets. In suitable climates, it can escape cultivation, becoming an invasive weed. Resistant to most pests and diseases, the trees benefit from deadheading. They develop a deep taproot and should be planted in their permanent location promptly. With rapid growth, the jujube tree can bear fruit within 3-4 years from planting the seed.

Propagation

Seeds should be planted in a cool environment right after they mature. Stored seeds need a 3-month warm and 3-month cold stratification period. Ideally, germination will happen in the first spring, but it might take up to 12 more months. Once seedlings are big enough, transfer them to individual pots and keep them in a cool place for at least the first winter. Plant them outdoors in early summer. Root cuttings should be kept in a greenhouse over winter, with the best results seen at a temperature of 5-10°C. Take cuttings from mature wood of the current year's growth between November and January. Divide runners during the dormant season, and if needed, they can be directly planted in their final spots.

Notable

Special features: very heat-loving and drought-resistant, needs permeable soil. Yields per tree range from 10-300 kg! Location and variety are likely crucial; the tree forms root suckers for propagation; sprouts late → not susceptible to late frost; often only 4-7 m tall. Cultivated for thousands of years in the semi-deserts of China.

Origin & habitat

E. Asia - China, Japan.

Forests and scrub in the mountains of Sichuan. Valleys, shady slopes, along streams and roadsides, in mixed, sparse and dense forests at elevations of 400 to 2200 meters.

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