Last updated on November 15th, 2021 at 08:02 pm
The Jujube Tree is a small tree that will drop its leaves in winter. Also called the Ziziphus jujuba, Chinese Jujuba, or the red date tree. In the Southwest, It grows to about 15-30ft. in height and 10ft. in width larger in places where there is lots of rainfall. It produces a small date-like fruit. It can withstand extreme heat and cold this makes it a perfect tree for the Southwest region.
The leaves it produces are about 2″ long and shiny it will also produce thorns, however, there are some hybrid varieties that remove the thorns. It also produces a white almost light pink flower during the spring season. The fruit is a drupe or a stone fruit.
Where to place the Jujube Tree
You can basically place it almost anywhere. It will thrive in full sun and partial shade it also tolerates poor soil but does better with well-composted soil. The Jujube tree is drought tolerant but best to water regularly during the hot season to produce good fruit. The tree does not require fertilizer but a light organic fertilizer once in early spring will help with larger fruit.
The tree will grow in any zone except for USDA zone 5. They can tolerate temperatures down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Finding the Jujube tree in a local nursery is probably the hardest part of growing this tree!
The Fruit of the Jujube tree
Let the fruit dry out in late summer or early fall for a great sweet dried fruit snack.
Insect and Diseases on Jujube Tree
It’s not prone to diseases and or insects. This makes it a good tree to plant for ornamental purposes or as a small fruit tree in your backyard.
