Anyone growing Sugarcane jujube in Florida?

[chrobrego]

I bought a sugarcane jujube from justfruits about two years ago. The plant is in the ground and doing ok, yet while it does flower, it doesn't set fruit. Has anyone had any luck fruiting sugarcane jujube in Florida -- particularly Central Florida and below?

Thanks,

Shawn (Orlando 9B)

[pineislander]

According to JFE website that is Chinese Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) and I think it needs some chill hours. Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) is more suited to southern growing regions.

https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/jujube.html

https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/indian_jujube.html

[Mugenia]

My Ziziphus mauritiana died on me. I wasn't home to find out, but I thought those were very hardy. Here in Qatar, they are growing wild everywhere.

[achetadomestica]

I have several Chinese jujube. I had around 7 and am down to 3. If you are getting
flowers that is a start. I think you need a pollinator and the different varieties flower at
different times so you need one that flowers the same time. Just fruits should be able to
recommend a variety. In China the jujube is grown in temperate zones not in the subtropics/tropics.
It is an uphill battle to fruit Chinese jujube in Florida. I had a sugarcane and eventually after several
years I dug it up. My trees would leave out every spring but didn't have good branch growth,
the more nitrogen I gave them the greener the leaves turned. I have two of the Thai giant or
Indian variety and they produce well here in Florida. I still have a So variety and it is the contorted
variety. It looks neat but no fruit yet. It is a dwarf tree and mine is 6' and has grown the best of the Chinese
ones. It flowered this year but the fruit dropped off early? Good Luck

[chrobrego]

Thanks. I'm having the same experience in 9B in Florida. The sugarcane will have poor branch growth, set some flowers, and then nothing. It doesn't grow very well and looks pretty sickly. It's supposed to be self-fertile but I don't believe it is.  Guess no jujubes for me. I'm ripping it out today and planting a Day avocado in it's place.

[roblack]

Both of my Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) are flowering and fruiting right now. Do great without any chill hours. Fruit is delicious and refreshing.

[Vernmented]

I was curious about the different species down here. I wish I had more room to experiment. I have only seen one type around this area. I think it was jumbo thai or something like that. It is a thornless one. Englands Orchard has a bunch of different budwood they sell.

[TnTrobbie]

Bought a "sugar cane" jujube around Nov 2019. Its still in a 3 gal pot and it hold a fruit . Gonna bag so I can get to taste.

[Johnny Redland]

I imported a new variety called "Big Milk" recently. How I got it past customs is beyond me, but the fruit are consistently the size of apples.  It almost died during transit, but I brought it back just in time. Its only about the size of twig now, but the entire plant is currently a flower, so I'm optimistic to get fruit in a year or two. If it indeed is something spectacular, I will make budwood available in a few years on the forum.

[RodneyS]

Look into "Honey Jar" jujube

[Orkine]

I imported a new variety called "Big Milk" recently. How I got it past customs is beyond me, but the fruit are consistently the size of apples.  It almost died during transit, but I brought it back just in time. Its only about the size of twig now, but the entire plant is currently a flower, so I'm optimistic to get fruit in a year or two. If it indeed is something spectacular, I will make budwood available in a few years on the forum.

Bringing back an old post.

Any word on the Big Milk?  Curious how it is doing and if budwood is now available.
Do share your experience with this one.

[canito 17]

Girdling