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Jujube

Ziziphus jujuba
Also known as: Chinese Date

Jujube is a fruit in the Rhamnaceae family. It grows best in full sun with low moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 6-9.

Varieties

1 · sorted by days to maturity
  • Jujube

    PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Tree fruit (grafted) (not in original seed catalog). Use: Crisp apple-like or dried date-like fruit.

    Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba), the Chinese date, is a very drought- and heat-tolerant small tree whose fruit eats like a sweet crisp apple when fresh and like a date when dried.

    Growing notes: Botanical name: Ziziphus jujuba|Hardiness zones: 6-9|Propagation: grafting or suckers|Light: Full sun|Water: Low|Mature size: 15-30 feet

Family
Rhamnaceae
Category
Fruit
Form
Shrub
Lifecycle
perennial
Zone
6-9
Height
15–30 ft
Spread
10–20 ft
Sun
Full sun
Water
Low

Plan your jujube planting

Add jujube to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.

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At a glance

Frost tolerance
Hardy · to ~-15°F
Lowest temperature the foliage usually survives

Storing & preserving

Refrigerate ripe fruit; ripen firm fruit at room temperature.

  • Freeze: Freezes well raw; spread on a tray first so pieces stay loose.
  • Preserve: Make jam or water-bath can high-acid fruit.
  • Dry: Dehydrate or air-dry, then store airtight away from light.

General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Growing timeline

Propagation
Grafting
Schedule anchor
Last Frost

Care & troubleshooting

No curated care & troubleshooting advice for jujube yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.