History Of The Jujube Tree

Chinese poets spoke about the wonderful jujubeSome gardeners describe jujube as tasting like
in 600 BC. The fruit of the jujube has been useddates flavored with apples and chocolate. The pulp
in ancient Chinese medicine for many nutritionalof the jujube fruit is centered around a core that
remedies for 2500 years. Jujubes were used bycontains two seeds. The pulp is sweet, soft, and
Gerard in Europe as a medicinal herb in the 1600'syellow in color, with some cultivars being white
to treat ailments of the kidneys, lungs, and liver.when ripe.
The Chinese jujube was brought to America byAfter being cured-out and dried, the jujube
Oriental immigrants who built railroads in Arizona inshrivels up into a wrinkled delicacy. The fruit is
the early 1900's. Hundreds of grafted jujubecommonly treated similar to raisin production to
cultivars are available in China, and a large numberpreserve for consumption at a later time.
of these trees were imported by the USDA inThe jujube tree is prized for it's delicious tasting
1908 and planted at the Experiment Station atfruit, the bright-green waxy leaves, and the
Tifton, Georgia, for testing, according to Otisfascinating silhouette of the tree. The leaves turn
Woodard.bright yellow before they shed after fall frosts.
Lowell F. Locke of the USDA in 1924 introducedJujube trees thrive in sandy, poor grade soils such
the improved jujube (Chinese Date) to theas those found in the Southeast, and the trees
western U.S., where it was described as "Theyeasily flourish in dry conditions; however, a little
have a delicious fruit with a smooth brown skinwell-placed fertilizer produces amazing results in a
and ivory fruit. You eat them skin and all. It wasshort time. There are many species of jujube
not firm as a peach, more like an apple. I madethat have found use all over the world, including
jams and jellies from them and also candiedthe continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa.
them." Locke described the jujube as being coldArab nutritionists use the leaves of the jujube
hardy, late flowering, and virtually frost proof. Thetree to kill worms and other parasites that attack
trees are well adapted to dry and sandy soils andthe intestinal tract and cause diarrhea. A jujube
will grow easily without requiring any specialtree that is native to Spain, France, Italy, Syria,
attention.and Asia Minor is similar to the Asian jujube and
The Chinese jujube is native to China, Japan, andhas been used medicinally as a food item in
much of Southeast Asia. The deciduous treeEurope, Asia Minor, and Africa. Jujubes were
grows to 25 feet tall, loaded with sharp spines,grown in Algeria and eaten mostly by Algerian
until it ages and the spines fall off as the bark isJews in the third century to celebrate New Years
formed. The yellow fragrant flowers are small andEve.
they mature into reddish brown oval fruits a littleThe Chinese believed that eating the fruit from
larger than an olive. New cultivars of improvedthe jujube tree would improve a person's stamina
jujubes can grow as large as a plum and can beand strength, as well as an improvement in the
as a round or oval shaped, ripening to afunction of the liver and the immune system.
reddish-brown color. The jujube fruit can be eatenThey believed that consumption of the jujube
fresh off the tree, even when there is muchwould mildly tranquilize a person, act to fight
green color on the fruit with faint reddish marksallergies, and cause a person to gain weight.
just developing. In dry locations the fruit will ripenNutritionists have found that the fruit of the
and dry up on the tree, but in the Southeasternjujube tree contains beneficial concentrations of
United States, where the humidity is high, the fruitVitamins A, B2, and C. The jujube also contains
must be harvested when the color changeminerals necessary for health, such as
happens and dried in a cool room.phosphorus, calcium, and iron.