Ziziphus mauritiana is a much-branched, evergreen but rather thorny tree with a spreading crown. It grows up to 15 meters tall with a bole 40 cm or more in diameter. It can spread by suckers to form a thicket of growth.
In severe climatic conditions, it often grows as a compact shrub reaching 3 - 4 meters tall. It is a valuable commercial fruit crop widely cultivated in southeastern Asia and other regions including Africa, Australia, the Pacific, and the Americas.

Known Hazards

None known

Habitat

Found in sandy soils of arid regions, coastal thickets, dry limestone woodlands, humid forests, thickets along riverbanks, hills, slopes; up to 1,800 meters elevation.

Cultivation Status

Cultivated, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Indian jujube is a hardy tree that copes with extreme temperatures and thrives under rather dry conditions.
It is suited to humid climates and also to hot, dry climates.
In its natural habitat the annual rainfall ranges from 125 mm to over 2,000 mm. The maximum temperature is about 37 - 48°C and the minimum temperature is about 7 - 13°C.
A mature tree can tolerate occasional lows in dry weather down to about -15°C, but any young growth will be killed at about -1°C.
Fruit quality is best under hot, sunny and dry conditions, but there should be a rainy season to support extension growth and flowering, ideally leaving enough residual soil moisture to carry the fruit to maturity.
Succeeds in a sunny position in any well-drained soil, including limy soils.
The tree prefers fairly light, deep soils, but it can be grown on marginal land, alkaline, saline or slightly acid, light or heavy, drought-susceptible or occasionally waterlogged soils.
Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7.5, tolerating 5 - 8.
Established plants have very strongly developed root systems and are very drought tolerant.
Plants are resistant to salt-laden winds.
Ziziphus mauritiana is a fast growing, spiny, thicket-forming shrub or tree, which can fruit prolifically and disperse seeds over a wide area using mammalian and avian vectors. It is a declared noxious weed in three Australian states and is noted as invasive in parts of southern Africa and on a number of Pacific and Indian Ocean islands. It is hard to control because of vigorous resprouting and has the ability to resist fire and mechanical treatments.
A fast-growing species, under favourable conditions height increment on loose soil is 75 cm in 1 year and 1.2 metres in 2 years.
The plant coppices well and grows vigorously from stumps and root suckers.
Commercial cultivation usually extends up to 1,000 metres.
Beyond this elevation trees do not perform well, and cultivation becomes less economical.
Fruit set depends on cross-pollination by insects attracted by the fragrance and nectar. Cross-incompatibility occurs, and cultivars have to be matched for good fruit set. Some cultivars, however, produce good crops parthenocarpically.
Fruiting starts after 3 - 5 years and is usually very abundant.
There are several named varieties

Edible Uses

The fruit is eaten raw or preserved, offering a sourish to sweet flavor depending on the variety.
It can be made into a floury meal, butter, or a cheese-like paste, used as a condiment.
The yellow-orange to brown fruit turns black at maturity; it is roundish to oblong in shape, up to 50mm long and about 25mm wide with a whitish flesh.
Seeds – raw.
A sweet flavor, they are eaten as a snack.
Young leaves can be cooked as a vegetable.

Medicinal

Jujube is both a delicious fruit and an effective herbal remedy. It aids weight gain, improves muscular strength and increases stamina.
In Chinese medicine it is prescribed as a tonic to strengthen liver function.
The dried fruits contain saponins, triterpenoids and alkaloids.
They are anodyne, anticancer, antidote, expectorant, pectoral, refrigerant, sedative, stomachic, styptic and tonic.
They are considered to purify the blood and aid digestion, and are used internally in the treatment of a range of conditions including chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, pharyngitis, bronchitis, anaemia, irritability and hysteria.
A mucilage made from the fruit is used to make bronchial pastilles.
The seed contains a number of medically active compounds including saponins, triterpenes, flavonoids and alkaloids.
It is hypnotic, narcotic, sialagogue, sedative, stomachic and tonic, and is used internally in the treatment of palpitations, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, night sweats and excessive perspiration.
The root is used in the treatment of dyspepsia.
A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of fevers.
The root is made into a powder and applied to old wounds and ulcers.
The leaves are astringent and febrifuge.
A decoction of the roasted leaves is an effective treatment for cough and asthma.
The leaves are said to promote the growth of hair, and are used to form a plaster in the treatment of strangury.
A poultice made from the pounded fresh leaves is active against boils and impetigo.
The plant is a folk remedy for anaemia, hypertonia, nephritis and nervous diseases.
It is widely used in China as a treatment for burns.
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.

Agroforestry Uses

Plants have an extensive root system and can be used to aid in the fixation of coastal dune sand.
The tree is useful as a living fence; its spiny stems and branches deter livestock.

Other Uses

The bark, including the root bark, contains tannins.
The leaves are a source of tannins.
When pounded and mashed in water, the bark yields brown and grey or reddish dyes.
The heartwood is buff-coloured, pale red or brown to dark brown, sometimes banded or with dark streaks; it is not sharply demarcated from pale brown sapwood.
The grain is straight, occasionally wavy; texture fine to coarse; wood fairly lustrous.
The wood is medium to heavy in weight, hard, strong and durable.
It seasons well but may split slightly during seasoning; easy to work and takes a high finish.
The wood is used for general construction, furniture and cabinet work, tool handles, agricultural implements, tent pegs, golf clubs, gun stocks, sandals, yokes, harrows, toys, turnery, household utensils, bowling pins, baseball bats, chisels and packaging.
It is also suitable for the production of veneer and plywood.
Basically, any product that needs a durable, close-grained wood can be made from it.
The wood produces excellent firewood (sapwood has 4,900 kcals/kg) and good charcoal.
Its drooping branches are easily accessible for harvesting.

Propagation

Seed should be stored for 4 months to improve germination.
If facilities are available, stratification in sand for 60 - 90 days at 5°C is recommended.
Scarification, extracting the seed from the stone, and treating it with sulphuric acid has also been recommended.
To germinate, seeds need full sunlight.
Seed should germinate in 3 - 4 weeks when the seed is left in stone, quicker if it is cracked, and only 1 week if it is carefully extracted.
The seed should be sown in full light in trays or beds, and the seedlings pricked out when 2 pairs of true leaves have developed.
It is likely that seedlings will need about 15 months in the nursery.
Root cuttings.