Jujube botanically known as Ziziphus jujube is a delicious oval drupe 1.5-3 centimeters (0.59-1.2 in) deep with crispy texture, edible skin, and a sweet-tart, apple-like flavor. Size varies from round to elongate and from cherry-size to plum-size, depending on the cultivar. It has a thin, edible dark red skin surrounding whitish flesh. It is native to China. Actually jujube tree has been cultivated there since 4,000 years ago. In ancient times, it was classified as “The Five Fruits” along with peach, plum, prunus mume, and apricot. Due to its higher nutritional values it is cultivated and consumed throughout the world.
| Name | Jujube fruit |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ziziphus jujuba |
| Native | China |
| Common/English Name | Chinese Date, Chinese-Date, Chinese Jujube, Chinese Plum, Chinese Red Date, Common Jujube, Jujube, Jujube Tree, Korean dates, Indian dates |
| Name in Other Languages | Iraq : Aunnaberhindi Afghanistan : Berra ( Pashto ) Philippines : Manzanas Brazil : Jujuba Greek : Tzintzola Burmese : Hsi Pakistan : Baryan Chines e: Da Zao Tibetan : Gya-Sug Korean : Dae-Choo Eastonian : Harilik Kreektürn Slovašcina : Čičimak Navadni Fiji : Ber German : Brustbeerbaum Bangladesh : Bozoi Hungarian : Jujuba (Fa) Vietnamese : Táo Indonesia : Bidara Spanish : Azufaifo Iran : Kanar Czech : Cicimek Datlový Italian : Giuggiole Turkish : Hünnap Kampuchea : Putrea India : Boguri ( Assamese) Malaysia : Bedara Dutch : Jujubeboom Thai : Bhud-Saar Nepal : Baer French : Circoulier Arabic : Annab Persian : Annab Danish : Almindelig Jujube Portuguese : Açofeifeira Japanese : Sanebuto Natsume Russian : Kitajskij Finik Finnish : Kiinanjujuba Polish : Chiński Daktyl |
| Plant Growth Habit | Small, deciduous, erect tree |
| Growing Climate | Warm, sunny location |
| Soil | Tolerate many types of soils, but prefer sandy, well-drained soils and do less well in heavy, poorly drained soil. They are able to grow in soils with high salinity or high alkalinity. It does not perform well in heavy, poorly drained soils. |
| Plant Size | 5–10 m high |
| Bark | Brown to gray-brown bark |
| Branchlets | Gray brown or green, flexuose, zig-zag with or without 2 stipular
spines |
| Leaf | Alternate, dark green above, pale green below, ovate, ovate-elliptic, or elliptic-oblong, 3–7 × 1.5–4 cm, papery, 3- veined from base, base slightly asymmetric, obtuse, margin crenate-serrate, apex obtuse or rounded, rarely acute |
| Flower | Yellow-green, fragrant, bisexual, pentamerous, glabrous, solitary or 2–8 clustered in axillary cymes, shortly pedunculate |
| Fruit Shape and Size | Drupe, sub globose, oblong, ellipsoid, or narrowly ovoid, 2.5–5 cm by 2–3.5(–4.5) cm in diameter |
| Fruit Color | Green in color, but as it ripens it goes through a yellow-green stage becoming red or red-purple at maturity |
| Fruit Skin | Thin, edible |
| Flesh Color | Creamy white fleshy, thick, |
| Flavor/Aroma | Sweet-tart, apple-like flavor |
| Taste | Apple-like sweet and tart taste |
| Seed | Compressed orbicular, 10 × 8 mm. |
| Varieties/Types |
|
| Season | September, October |
| Major Nutrition | Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 69 mg (76.67%) Carbohydrate 20.23 g (15.56%) Copper, Cu 0.073 mg (8.11%) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.081 mg (6.23%) Iron, Fe 0.48 mg (6.00%) Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 0.9 mg (5.63%) Potassium, K 250 mg (5.32%) Manganese, Mn 0.084 mg (3.65%) Phosphorus, P 23 mg (3.29%) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.04 mg (3.08%) |
| Health Benefits |
|
| Calories in (100 gm) | 79 K cal |