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Ziziphus jujuba
| Common name: |
Jujube |
Family: |
Rhamnaceae |
| Author: |
Mill. |
Botanical references: |
11, 50, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Ziziphus zizyphus ((L.)Karsten.), Ziziphus vulgaris (Lam.), Ziziphus sativa (Gaertn.) |
| Known Hazards: |
None known |
| Range: |
E. Asia - China, Japan. |
| Habitat: |
Dry gravelly or stony slopes of hills and mountains[74]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
3 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Rhamnus jujuba[G]
Rhamnus zizyphus[G,H]
Z. jujube[HORTIPLEX]
Z. mauritiana[B,E,G,P]
Z. spinosa[G]
Z. vulgaris var. spinosa[G]
Zizyphus jujuba[H,]
Zizyphus lotos[H]
Zizyphus sativa[H]
Zizyphus vulgaris[E,H]
Zizyphus zizyphus[H]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Azufaifo [E], Bedara China [E], Chinese Date [H], Chinese Jujube [H], Common Jujube [B,P], Dara [E], Hong Zao [E], Indian Jujube [P,B], Jujube [H,E], Jujubier [E], Kan Tsao [E], Kola [E], Liane Crocs Chien [E], Liang Tsao [E], Mei Tsao [E], Nabug [E], Nan Tsao [E], Pei Tsao [E], Perita Haitiana [E], Petite Pomme [E], Pomme Malcadi [E], Ponsere [E], Suan Tsao [E], Ta Tsao [E], Tsao [E], Unnab [E], Unnap Agaci [E], Widara [E], |
| Systematics: | From a USDA
Plants Database |
|
Order: Rhamnales. Buckthorn family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Asia; China; Dominican Republic; Europe; Haiti; India; India(Santal); Iraq; Java (Import); Malacca (Import); Nigeria; Spain; Turkey
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From USDA
PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: Western Australia, Queensland, Northen Territory (Aust). |
Physical Characteristics
A deciduous tree growing to 10m by 7m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen in October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.
The plant is self-fertile.
We rate it 3/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Hedge, Woodland, Secondary, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.Edible Uses
Coffee; Fruit; Leaves.
Fruit - raw or cooked[1, 2, 3, 100, 158]. Mealy and sweet[46]. A
sourish-sweet flavour[174]. The fruit can be eaten fresh, dried like dates or
cooked in puddings, cakes, breads, jellies, soups etc[183]. The dried fruit
has the nicest taste[11, 132]. The fruits are often left to become wrinkled
and spongy, which increases their sweetness, and are then eaten fresh or
cooked[238]. The dried fruit can also be ground into a powder. This powder is
used in the preparation of 'kochujang', a fermented hot pepper-soybean paste
that resembles miso[183]. Fruits are about 13mm in diameter[194] and contain
one or two seeds[238]. Average yields from wild trees in the Himalayas are
9.5kg per year[194]. The fruit contains about 8.7% sugars, 2.6% protein, 1.4%
ash, 1.7% pectin and 1.3% tannin[194]. The fruit is about 25mm long, though
it can be larger in cultivated varieties[200].
The fruit can be used as a coffee substitute[183].
Leaves - cooked. A famine food, they are only used when all else fails[179].
A nutritional analysis is available[218]. Composition
- Leaves (Dry weight)
-
In grams per 100g weight of food:
Water: 0
Calories: 337
Protein: 11.8
Fat: 4.3
Carbohydrate: 75.3 Fiber: 14.3
Ash: 8.6
In milligrams per 100g weight of food:
Calcium: 1970
Phosphorus: 230 Vitamin A: 200
Source: [218]
- Fruit (Dry weight)
-
In grams per 100g weight of food:
Water: 0
Calories: 350
Protein: 7.3
Fat: 1.2
Carbohydrate: 84 Fiber: 4
Ash: 3
In milligrams per 100g weight of food:
Calcium: 130
Phosphorus: 168
Iron: 3.5
Sodium: 12
Potassium: 1050 Vitamin A: 125
Thiamine: 0.1
Riboflavin: 0.18
Niacin: 2.8 Vitamin C: 300
Source: [218]
Notes
: The figures given here are the median of a range given in the report.
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Anodyne; Antidote; Astringent; Cancer; Diuretic; Emollient; Expectorant; Hypnotic; Narcotic; Pectoral; Poultice; Refrigerant; Sedative; Skin; Stomachic; Tonic.
Jujube is both a delicious fruit and an effective herbal remedy. It
aids weight gain, improves muscular strength and increases stamina[254]. In
Chinese medicine it is prescribed as a tonic to strengthen liver
function[254]. Japanese research has shown that jujube increases
immune-system resistance. In one clinical trial in China 12 patients with
liver complaints were given jujube, peanuts and brown sugar nightly. In four
weeks their liver function had improved[254].
Antidote, diuretic, emollient, expectorant[11, 61, 174, 178, 194].
The dried fruits contain saponins, triterpenoids and alkaloids[279]. They
are anodyne, anticancer, pectoral, refrigerant, sedative, stomachic, styptic
and tonic[4, 176, 218]. They are considered to purify the blood and aid
digestion[240]. They are used internally in the treatment of a range of
conditions including chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhea, pharyngitis, bronchitis, anaemia, irritability and hysteria[176, 238, 279].
The seed contains a number of medically active compounds including saponins,
triterpenes, flavonoids and alkaloids[279]. It is hypnotic, narcotic,
sedative, stomachic and tonic[147, 176, 218]. It is used internally in the
treatment of palpitations, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, night sweats and
excessive perspiration[176, 238].
The root is used in the treatment of dyspepsia[218]. A decoction of the root
has been used in the treatment of fevers[4, 240]. The root is made into a
powder and applied to old wounds and ulcers[240].
The leaves are astringent and febrifuge[4, 218]. They are said to promote
the growth of hair[218]. They are used to form a plaster in the treatment of
strangury[240].
The plant is a folk remedy for anaemia, hypertonia, nephritis and nervous
diseases[218].
The plant is widely used in China as a treatment for burns[218]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Charcoal; Fuel; Hedge; Wood.
Plants can be grown as a hedge[178].
Wood - dense, hard, compact, tough. Used for turnery, agricultural
implements etc[74, 146, 158]. It makes an excellent fuel[146] and a good
charcoal[158].
Cultivation details
Succeeds in most soils so long as they are well-drained[3, 200].
Prefers an open loam and a hot dry position[1, 3]. Succeeds in an alkaline
soil[200]. Plants are fast growing, even in poor soils[146].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[200]. Another report says that they are
hardy to about -30°c when fully dormant[160].
The jujube is often cultivated in warm temperate zones for its edible fruit,
there are many named varieties[50, 183]. The trees need a hot dry summer if
they are to fruit well, which rather restricts their potential in a country
like Britain[238, K]. The tree spreads by root suckers and self-sowing, often
forming dense thickets. Where the climate suits it, the plant can escape from
cultivation and become an invasive and problematic weed[274].
Trees are resistant to most pests and diseases[160].
Responds well to coppicing[146].
Trees form a deep taproot and should be planted into their permanent
positions as soon as possible[200].
Fast growing and quick to mature, it can fruit in 3 - 4 years from
seed[200].
Propagation
Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed
requires 3 months warm then 3 months cold stratification[113]. Germination
should take place in the first spring, though it might take another 12
months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large
enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first
winter. Plant out in early summer.
Root cuttings in a greenhouse in the winter[200]. Best results are achieved
if a temperature of 5 - 10°c can be maintained[238].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, November to January
in a frame[238].
Division of suckers in the dormant season[174]. They can be planted out
direct into their permanent positions if required.
Cultivars
- ''
- No entries have been made for this species as yet.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA's Plants database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA's Plants database.
References for Ziziphus jujube (a possible synonym).
References for Ziziphus mauritiana (a possible synonym).
References for Ziziphus sativa (a possible synonym).
References for Ziziphus vulgaris (a possible synonym).
References for Ziziphus zizyphus (a possible synonym).
References for Zizyphus jujuba (a possible synonym).
References for Zizyphus lotos (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for Zizyphus sativa (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for Zizyphus vulgaris (a possible synonym).
References for Zizyphus zizyphus (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for the family Rhamnaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[3] Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7
A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for
Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
[100] Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969 ISBN 0192176218
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
[132] Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.
Lovely pictures, a very readable book.
[146] Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972
Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional
Chinese methods.
[158] Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945
A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests,
sparsely illustrated. Not really for the casual reader.
[160] Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987.
Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.
[174] Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
A good Japanese herbal.
[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.
[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[194] Parmar. C. and Kaushal. M.K. Wild Fruits of the Sub-Himalayan Region. Kalyani Publishers. New Delhi. 1982
Contains lots of information on about 25 species of fruit-bearing plants of the Himalayas, not all of them suitable for cool temperate zones.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
Readers Comments
Ziziphus jujuba
Andrew Ricketts
(andrewricketts@bigpond.com)
Tue Oct 15 13:41:15 2002
I believe there are several cultivars:
Li, Nikitkij 93, Shui men, Small, So tsao, Tajan czao. Found in a nursery catalogue in Australia.
Also there is a book on Jujubes by Meyer.
Main Search Page
Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Ziziphus+jujuba
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