Author Topic: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help  (Read 3617 times)

ddixon

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Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« on: May 18, 2015, 03:10:16 PM »
I'm very excited to have bought our first jujube tree at Excalibur today.  I always like the trees I get there.  Today the staff wasn't sure of the name of the cultivar.  I was hoping someone knew what cultivar they sell.  They only have one cultivar.  It is thornless and they said it came from Thailand.  I know this could be a few cultivar but I was hoping someone knew specifically what is sold at Excalibur.  Thanks!

murahilin

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Re: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2015, 08:19:11 PM »
The jujube sold at Excalibur is an Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana), not a Chinese jujube (Z. jujuba). It does not have an official cultivar name but goes by a variety of names such as Thai Giant, Green Thornless, Thornless, etc.

willowwater

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Re: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2015, 05:05:07 PM »

I bought the Thai Giant from Excalibur and the Thornless from Pine Island and had them shipped the Bahamas. The Thornless (Ziziphus jujuba on PIN website) fruited nicely with wonderfully large sweet jujubes. The Thai Giant didn't survive. Never got fruit from it and was planning to replace it. However if someone who has experienced both fruit wouldn't mind weighing in as to whether it is worth replacing the Thai Giant I would appreciate it.

murahilin

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Re: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2015, 06:25:30 PM »

I bought the Thai Giant from Excalibur and the Thornless from Pine Island and had them shipped the Bahamas. The Thornless (Ziziphus jujuba on PIN website) fruited nicely with wonderfully large sweet jujubes. The Thai Giant didn't survive. Never got fruit from it and was planning to replace it. However if someone who has experienced both fruit wouldn't mind weighing in as to whether it is worth replacing the Thai Giant I would appreciate it.

They should both be the same cultivar. PIN has it listed incorrectly as Z. jujuba though while it is actually Z. mauritiana. Based on the flowers and fruit it is easily identified as Z. mauritiana but they did not seem to care when I spoke to them about it. They also continue to sell the Sasa spanish lime as Sosa even after I corrected them.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2015, 06:27:08 PM by murahilin »

willowwater

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Re: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2015, 06:36:52 PM »

I bought the Thai Giant from Excalibur and the Thornless from Pine Island and had them shipped the Bahamas. The Thornless (Ziziphus jujuba on PIN website) fruited nicely with wonderfully large sweet jujubes. The Thai Giant didn't survive. Never got fruit from it and was planning to replace it. However if someone who has experienced both fruit wouldn't mind weighing in as to whether it is worth replacing the Thai Giant I would appreciate it.

They should both be the same cultivar. PIN has it listed incorrectly as Z. jujuba though while it is actually Z. mauritiana. Based on the flowers and fruit it is easily identified as Z. mauritiana but they did not seem to care when I spoke to them about it. They also continue to sell the Sasa spanish lime as Sosa even after I corrected them.

Many thanks for the response. About a two months ago I got a bare-root GA-866 from Willis Orchard Company. It's potted and growing out nicely. Also considering a Sherwood. Any experience or thoughts on these? Are there any other good varieties you might recommend? I also have a 15 foot seedling tree that I am about to top-work and I am also looking for good bud-wood from anyone out there. Thanks again



nana7b

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Re: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2015, 11:42:27 PM »
GA866 is a shy bearer for me but tastes very good. Sweet with some acidity.

Sherwood is larger fruited than GA866 sweet but not as much acidity. Sherwood also has only a few thorns. My Sherwood flowered but did not bear for 3+ years. Then I grafted several varieties onto it. That year it produced many fruit.

I also like Redlands 4 which is a pumpkin shaped fruit of good size. It is sweet and a heavy bearer for me.

Li second crop that ripens in the fall is sweet and of good size. The summer crop is not that good. I think when it ripens over a longer period during the cooler part of the year the fruit tastes better.

Sugar cane is small but sweet.

Try your jujube with some white wine or beer!

fyliu

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Re: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2015, 03:49:33 PM »
This will be my first year fruiting GA866 and Sherwood, both from Roger Meyer.
I planted them at the front of the lawn to protect my other trees. They get good sun but not enough water.

Is there a list of cultivars sorted by productivity? As far as I know they all taste really sweet when dried and also dried fruits are fairly expensive. So I want to grow a super productive one just for drying.

willowwater

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Re: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2015, 04:23:16 PM »
GA866 is a shy bearer for me but tastes very good. Sweet with some acidity.

Sherwood is larger fruited than GA866 sweet but not as much acidity. Sherwood also has only a few thorns. My Sherwood flowered but did not bear for 3+ years. Then I grafted several varieties onto it. That year it produced many fruit.

I also like Redlands 4 which is a pumpkin shaped fruit of good size. It is sweet and a heavy bearer for me.

Li second crop that ripens in the fall is sweet and of good size. The summer crop is not that good. I think when it ripens over a longer period during the cooler part of the year the fruit tastes better.

Sugar cane is small but sweet.

Try your jujube with some white wine or beer!

Now this is why I love this forum. Every now and again someone comes up with incredible advice that can't be ignored. I will certainly be looking into pairing a good white wine or beer with jujube. Also thanks for the feedback on the other varieties. Where did you get the scion wood?

nana7b

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Re: Jujube Cultivar Identification Help
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2015, 02:49:15 PM »
I got my scion wood from England's Orchard Nursery. They ship dormant wood around January.

Here is a pic of some fruit.