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