Jujube

Jujube trees are one of the rare, exceptional fruit trees that will grow well in salty soils and are salt water tolerant when planted in coastal areas. Jujubes also grow well in extremely alkaline soils, such as in soils with high PH’s of 8, like those in West Texas. Very good yield results come from Eastern and Southern U.S. plantings. Few fruit trees are as easy to grow in such wide, variable conditions as jujube trees that are so cold hardy they have thrived in states like Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Indiana for over 100 years.

Some mature jujube cultivars may reach 30 feet tall, but pruning is preferable to make large crop production and easier harvesting possible.

Jujube flowers are fragrant, small and green, and fruit production usually begins in July and extends into October in Georgia. The fruit becomes tasty, sweet and commercially ready to harvest when it changes from green to yellow in color, and then the picking of the Jujube’s begins after the red blotches begin to appear. The sweetest fruit forms when allowed to ripen on the tree and then to turn completely red

If Jujube’s are picked at the proper stage of yellow-red blotches, then afterwards, the sugar development intensifies, and can dramatically increase the sugar content to 85%.