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A small deciduous fruit tree that bears at a young age and flourishes under the toughest conditions, this native of China and Southeast Asia has been cultivated in that region for 4000 years. Upright and oval with drooping branchlets, it usually grows as a multi-stemmed tree unless trained otherwise. Paired spines may be present along the branches and at the base of leaves. The glossy, rich green, oval leaves have three prominent lighter colored veins. Numerous small clusters of tiny, fruitily scented, yellowish green flowers appear in the leaf axils in spring. Round, oval, or pear-shaped fruits follow, maturing from green to red to deep red-brown. The leaves turn yellow in fall.
The thin-skinned, white-fleshed, single-stoned fruits vary from pea-sized to date-sized. Fruits harvested as they redden have a sweet flavor and apple-like texture, and are best eaten fresh or made into preserves. Fruits soften and wrinkle after they turn red, developing a sweet flavor reminiscent of dates. Ripe fruits are excellent dried, candied, or in preserves.
Jujube grows most vigorously and fruits most heavily in full sun and sandy or loamy soil. It does relatively poorly in wet or heavy soil. This fruit tree's list of tolerances is lengthy and impressive: drought, heat, cold, alkaline soil, and saltspray. Plants must have both winter cold and summer heat to fruit, although the required cold period is very brief. In truly tropical areas fruiting may be sporadic at best.
Use jujube as a dual purpose shade and fruit tree, keeping in mind that fruit and leaf litter may be a nuisance in areas frequented by pedestrians and cars. A companion cultivar may be required for fruiting.
Information source: www.learn2Grow.com.
Genus - Ziziphus
Species - Jujuba
Common name - Chinese Date
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 6 - 9
Height - 15'-30' / 4.60 - 9 m
Spread - 10'-30' / 3 - 9 m
Plant type - Tree
Vegetation type - Deciduous
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
Growth rate - Medium
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil type - Loam, Sand
Water requirements - Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Landscape uses - Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Screening / Wind Break
Bloom season - Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Leaf / Flower color - Green / Fall - Yellow, Gold / White Yellow, Yellow Green, Ivory
| Useful Info | |
| Germination | 1. Place Chinese dates in a bowl of 18-percent salt solution for a few hours. Then fill a bowl with hot tap water and leave seeds to soak for 48 hours. try to keep water all time hot by using simple thermo cup. 2. Mix seeds with sterile sand or vermiculite, place in ziplock bag or airtight container for 40 days at +2-+4C temperature. 3. After stratification sow seeds in a deep container in moist potting compost, covering them with an 3 cm (1") of compost. Keep the soil moist and place the container in a spot with a temperature between +17-+25C (64-77F). Seeds germinates in 30-40 days. Grow Chinese date seedlings in their container for two years before planting them out into the garden. Take care when transplanting your Chinese date as the long taproot is sensitive to damage. Plant Chinese date trees in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Remove all side branches upon planting to encourage new, stronger growth. |
