Ziziphus Jujuba

Description :

This plant is a small deciduous tree or shrub reaching to the height of 4 to 12m. It has with thorny branches. The leaves of the plant are shiny-green, ovate-acute, 2 to 7 cm long and 1 to 3 cm broad. Leaf has with three conspicuous veins at the base, and a finely toothed margin. The flowers are small and 5 mm wide with five inconspicuous yellowish-green petals. The fruit is an edible oval drupe. It is smooth-green when immature, with the consistency and taste of an apple with lower acidity, brown to purplish-black when mature, and eventually wrinkled and looks like a small date. There is a single hard kernel, similar to an olive pit containing two seeds.

Distribution :

It is distributed in southern Asia including Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and India, between Lebanon, southern and central China, and also southeastern Europe. It grows best in in hot and somewhat dry climates in full sun.

Uses :

This plant has great value as it is used in many things. Fruit of the plant can be eaten as food. Its wood can be used as fuel. It can be used ornamental plant. The fruit and its seeds are used in Chinese and Korean traditional medicines; they are used to make medicines for the anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-ulcer, anti-inflammatory purposes and sedation.

 

(Cui et al., 2017)