Ziziphus jujuba – Chinese Date or Jujube seeds

Description

Pack of 5 seeds.

Ziziphus jujuba is a drought-hardy deciduous fruit tree grown for its sweet, chewy fruit, which resemble dates in texture and can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked. Native to arid parts of China and Central Asia, it’s been cultivated for over 4,000 years and adapts surprisingly well to dry temperate regions of New Zealand.

The fruit is crisp and apple-like when fresh, becoming sweeter and date-like as it dries on the tree. Jujubes are high in vitamin C, iron, and antioxidants, and have been used in traditional medicine for digestive and calming properties. Trees are highly ornamental too, with glossy green foliage that turns yellow in autumn and zigzagging, spiny branches.

Z. jujuba typically grows 4–8 metres tall, with a rounded crown and slow to moderate growth. It thrives in full sun and well-drained, sandy or loamy soils, and is tolerant of drought once established. Avoid waterlogged conditions. Though cold-hardy to around –20°C, jujubes require long, hot summers for fruit to mature properly, so they are best suited to warm, inland areas of New Zealand with good heat accumulation.

Chilling for Fruit Set:
Most jujube varieties need between 200–400 chilling hours below 7°C in winter to set fruit well. They are self-fertile but may crop more heavily with a second genetically distinct plant nearby.

Germination and Cold Stratification:
Seeds have a hard coat and dormant embryo. Crack or scarify the stone carefully, then cold stratify for 3–4 months at 1–5°C. After stratification, sow into warm soil (25–30°C). Germination is often slow and irregular — allow up to several weeks or months.

Outdoor Stratification Tip:
Seeds can be sown in autumn in deep trays or pots and left in a rodent-proof, sheltered spot outdoors. Cold weather will naturally meet their stratification requirement, and germination may begin with spring warmth.

Pack of 5 seeds.