Ziziphus jujuba Dongzao

The jujube 'Dongzao', derived from Ziziphus jujuba, is a late Chinese variety prized for its round, crisp, juicy and very sweet dessert jujubes. It is an undemanding fruit tree, suited to Mediterranean gardens and climates with a long, mild autumn. Its flowering is inconspicuous but nectar-rich; its glossy foliage and somewhat twisted branches give it real character in an unirrigated orchard.

Treat it against the Mediterranean fruit fly without fail, otherwise the harvest may be completely destroyed. To do this, you can use traps that are harmless to biodiversity.

The jujube belongs to the Rhamnaceae family. The species Ziziphus jujuba is a small deciduous tree or large shrub native to eastern Asia. Its natural range extends from northern and eastern China to South Korea; its habitat consists of dry, sunny places, hills and stony slopes, up to around 1,700 m in altitude.

'Dongzao' is a traditional Chinese cultivar grown in northern Shandong and eastern Hebei, near Bohai Bay. It is one of the best Chinese cultivars for eating fresh, but it is less early and sometimes less productive in its first few years if the growing conditions are not optimal. It is a small tree with a short trunk or a shrub trained as a standard, with a bushy, well-branched crown. Its habit is naturally irregular, with zigzagging twigs; the bark becomes grey-brown, rough and fissured with age. 'Dongzao' is barely thorny or thornless. Its leaves are deciduous, oval to elliptical, leathery, glossy green and finely toothed, measuring 3 to 7 cm long. They turn yellow in autumn before falling.
Flowering appears from May to July, depending on the climate. The flowers are small, yellow-green to cream, solitary or borne in small clusters in the leaf axils. They are inconspicuous but fragrant, nectar-rich and visited by bees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects. In jujubes, flowers and fruits form on the current year's shoots, and the fairly long flowering period explains the staggered ripening of the fruits. The fertility of the jujube varies according to the cultivar. 'Dongzao' can be planted on its own in a small garden, but it will be more productive with another Ziziphus jujuba nearby, for example 'Li'.

The fruits of 'Dongzao' are globose drupes weighing 12 to 17 g, or even 24 g. They change from green to creamy yellow, then become mottled with reddish brown before turning reddish brown when fully ripe. Their flesh is white to greenish, fine, crisp, juicy and very sweet; their skin is thin and their texture particularly pleasant when eaten fresh. The central stone contains one seed, sometimes two, as in the species. The fruits are eaten while still firm, when their texture is reminiscent of a slightly acidic apple; when riper, they shrivel and develop date-like notes.

'Dongzao' is a late variety. In France, in the olive-growing region, the harvest takes place in October, sometimes as early as the end of September, and may continue if the autumn remains mild. Pick the jujubes by hand, fruit by fruit, when the skin is creamy yellow washed with reddish brown or entirely reddish brown but still firm.

Storage: fresh fruits keep best if harvested while firm and promptly placed in a cool place, for two weeks or longer at around 4 °C. At room temperature, they soften and shrivel more quickly; in humid climates, it is best not to leave very ripe fruits on the tree.

In the kitchen: 'Dongzao' jujubes are mainly eaten fresh, as dessert fruit: as they are, or in an autumn fruit salad. Riper fruits can be dried, candied, cooked into compote, syrup or paste, used in baking or made into an infusion. Dried jujubes can easily replace dates or raisins in certain desserts.

In the garden: plant ‘Dongzao’ as a solitary specimen, in an orchard or fruiting hedge, in full sun and well-drained soil, including chalky soil. It tolerates drought well once established, but regular watering during the first two years and while the fruits are swelling improves the quality of the harvest. You can pair it with other southern fruit trees such as the pomegranate 'Wonderful', the fig tree ‘Brown Turkey’ and the jujube ‘Abundance’.

'Dongzao' should be reserved for regions with long, hot and sunny summers. It can be grown in cooler climates, but its late ripening makes the harvest more uncertain if September and October lack warmth.