A website bearing the title “Gardening Know How” refers to the jujube as an “exotic”, which is certainly true around Tehama County. We were introduced to this tree through Martin’s Garden, a wonderful nursery in Corning, quite a few years ago, which, sadly, is no longer there. I really enjoy dates, and when I heard that the jujube’s fruit is kind of like a date, I was interested. We bought a single plant and installed it in our front yard.
Even the scientific name of the jujube is exotic: Ziziphus jujube. The tree itself is rather good-looking, with glossy green leaves and a graceful appearance. Ours took a couple of years for it to become established, but it is now close to 20 feet tall. Wikipedia describes the jujube as “a deciduous shrub or tree, usually with thorny branches.” There are many varieties, and our original tree does not have thorns. However, the tree will send out what “Gardening Know How” called root sprouts. These do have thorns, so we just dig them out or clip them off.
In order to produce fruit, the jujube puts out tiny flowers. It is the fruit that is distinctive. Our tree produces fruit an inch to an inch and a half long and kind of pear-shaped. It starts out green, and as it matures, it turns brown. I have read that you can harvest it as soon as it turns brown, or you can leave it on the tree, where it will become wrinkly. Eventually, the fruit will fall off by itself. Our tree is near our gravel driveway, and when the fruit falls, it is likely to end up with gravel ground into it, so for us, it’s better to harvest it.
Jujubes probably originated in southwest Asia but are now widely cultivated. Our area is well suited for jujubes. They are said to prefer a warm, dry climate and well-drained soil. Jujubes can tolerate temperatures down to -15 degrees, so that’s not an issue. They don’t need a lot of water to survive, but watering occasionally helps with fruit production. They require full sun to thrive.
The fruit has a wide variety of culinary uses, varying widely from one country to another. It can be eaten as a snack, of course, but in India, herbs and spices are added and it is pounded into a dried cake. In Croatia, jujubes are used in marmalades, juices, and “rakija,” a fruit brandy. In Italy, they are made into alcoholic syrup, and in Australia, they make jujube beer. People of a certain age may remember a candy called Jujubes, often sold in movie theaters, which originally contained the actual fruit (until they changed the recipe).
So there’s another unusual edible fruit that’s practically made for Tehama County.
The Red Bluff Garden Club is a member of the Cascade District, California Garden Clubs, Inc.; Pacific Region Clubs, Inc.; and National Garden Clubs, Inc. We meet on the last Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. (except during the summer) at the First United Methodist Church on David Avenue in Red Bluff. Come join us!
