Jujube

The Jujube or Chinese date, introduced into this country from China, is a medium size tree, up to 25-50 feet, with glossy green, deciduous foliage. The naturally drooping tree is graceful, ornamental and often thorny with branches growing in a zig-zag pattern crowning to 15 or 20 feet..

A member of the Buckthorn family, these trees send up suckers often with intimidating spines from their roots. These suckers can appear many feet from the mother plant.

The small, ovate or oval LEAVES are 1-2 inches long and a shiny bright green. In the autumn, the leaves turn bright yellow before falling. There are usually two spines at the base of each leaf. Some spines may be hooked while others are long daggers.

The inconspicuous, 1/5 inch diameter, white to greenish-yellow FLOWERS are somewhat fragrant and produced in large numbers in the leaf axils. The flowering period extends over several months from late spring into summer.

The FRUIT is a drupe, varying from round to elongate and from cherry-size to plum-size. It has a thin, edible skin surrounding whitish flesh of sweet, tasty flavor. The single hard stone contains two SEEDS The immature fruit is green, but as it ripens it goes through a yellow-green stage with reddish spots appearing on the skin as the fruit ripens. The mature fruit is entirely red. Upon maturation, the fruit begins to soften and wrinkle. The fruit can be eaten after it becomes wrinkled, but most people prefer between the yellow-green stage and the full red stage. At this stage the flesh is crisp and sweet, reminiscent of an apple.

The Chinese have been known to cultivate as many as 400 varieties of jujube, and have a great fondness for the fruit; it is sometimes processed with honey and sugar, and sold as a dessert confection.

“Chinese Dates” have traditionally been used for medicinal purposes, with the fruit being made into pastes, tablets, and syrups that were supposed to be soothing to the mucous membranes.