Jujube, also known as Chinese date or red date, is a fruit that can be eaten as a snack or added to desserts. Jujube trees prefer full sun and truly thrive in warm weather. If you reside in a hot region, you can cultivate this fruit tree pretty easily.
In this article, we will look at the best jujube variety to plant in your home garden. We will also discuss how to plant, nurture, and harvest it, among other things.
So, let’s dive in!
What’s the Best Jujube Variety?
Li is the best jujube variety. Li jujubes are large, flavorful fruits and have firm skin. They can be eaten once they have transitioned from green to yellowish-green and mahogany color.
In addition to being delicious, Li jujube is highly nutritious. This fruit is an excellent source of minerals, vitamins, and fiber.
These elements can balance your fluid levels, aid in bringing cholesterol and blood sugar levels back to normal, and boost immunological function.
How Does Li Jujube Taste?
Li jujube has a high sugar content, which ultimately makes it very sweet. Fresh Li has a crunchy texture and tastes like apples. When dried, it has a chewy date-like texture. Hence, it is often referred to as red or Chinese dates.
Fresh li tastes good and can be made into a refreshing beverage or simply eaten as a snack. In addition, it can also be cooked into desserts, syrups, and jams.
How to Plant Li Jujube?
In the spring, you can plant Li Jujube through seeds and cuttings. Ideal sunlight and climate are necessary for their growth. Apart from this, they do not need lots of care regarding fertilizers, water, and soil pH.
Like all jujube trees, Li jujube thrives in hot areas. In the winter, it can endure temperatures as low as -20 °F (-29 °C).
Normally, it is pretty easy to plant and raise a Li tree in your home garden since it is a low-maintenance tree.
The tree will develop successfully if you live in the correct climate and plant, it in a spot that receives adequate sunlight daily.
It is also fairly resistant to drought once it reaches maturity. So, the watering requirements are minimal as well.
The ideal planting time is in spring. You can plant a Li tree from seeds and cuttings.
Here is how you can do it:
From Seeds
- Take 3-4 jujube seeds and spend an hour soaking them in warm water.
- Then scrape and thoroughly clean them.
- Now, break the endocarp with a nutcracker, as it aids in accelerating germination.
- Finally, put the seeds directly into the ground or a pot at a depth of 1/2 inch (1 to 2 centimeters).
From Cuttings
You can also grow li with the help of cuttings. Here is how:
- Take 4-6 inches-long (10 to 15 centimeters) stems.
- Make sure they have tiny leaves near the tip and adult leaves at the end.
- Cut several stems since cuttings don’t take root often.
- Now, put the cuttings in the ground or container.
Weight, Height, and Width
Li jujubes are round, medium-sized fruits. They reach approximately 2-3 inches (5 to 7 centimeters) in diameter and weigh over 1 ounce (28 grams). Li fruits grow on medium-sized trees. These trees typically reach a height and width of 15 to 30 feet (4 to 6 meters) and even higher if given the ideal soil and weather circumstances.
Sunlight
Although Li jujubes have minimum maintenance requirements, sunshine is integral for steady growth. So, if your tree receives six or more hours of sunlight each day, it will grow well.
Pests and Diseases
Jujube fruits, in general, are highly disease resistant. They grow free of any diseases, insects, and pests. So, rest easy because the chances of you finding invading insects in Li tree’s area are non-existent.
Water
It is good to water this tree frequently when it is newly planted. However, once it begins to grow, you can water it once a month.
Water is essential for all kinds of plants. Li, on the other hand, doesn’t require that much water. It is highly drought tolerant, which is one of its many great traits.
Soil
Li can be grown in a variety of soil compositions, including sandy, alkaline, and clay. However, they will flourish in loamy and sandy soils.
One thing you need to pay heed to is the drainage, as jujubes require well-drained soil. So, if your ground gets saturated with water, ensure to amend it with organic matter or compost.
Fertilization
Li trees can grow organically and don’t really need fertilization. However, you can apply a good quality nitrogen fertilizer from time to time to boost their growth. You won’t need to add fertilizer once the Li tree is fully mature.
Burpee Organic Blood Meal Fertilizer is a great option if you are considering a nitrogen fertilizer. It is granular fertilizer and an impeccable nitrogen source that can be added to soil to fasten the growth of your tree.
The 12-0-0 formulation is a concentrated supply of nitrogen that also promotes the health of the soil and plant microbes.
If you have really sandy soil, this product can be a fantastic tool to refine its structure. You can purchase Blood Meal Fertilizer by clicking this link.
Harvesting
If you planted your Li plant in spring, it would be ready to be harvested in the late summer, in the months of August and September. These are the ideal harvesting times for the Li plant.
Ideally, you should plant Li in spring or fall. Multiple people say that spring is a better time to plant this tree. However, planting in the fall can be propitious because it allows the tree time to grow some more roots.
The best thing about jujube varieties is that they start bearing relatively early. With this variety, you can expect to see fruit within 2-3 years of planting. If all goes well, you will receive a high yield by the third year.
The ripening period for Li fruit is late summer through fall. So, you can harvest it from August to September.
FAQs
Jujubes are native to Southern Asia but later gained popularity all over the world. There are over 700 different types of jujube in China. Meanwhile, the United States has about 40 different types.
The primary distinction, in the opinion of nursery owners and growers, is between the textures of their exterior skin. Li fruits have thin skin, but Lang has thicker skin. Moreover, Li is consumed and enjoyed in its raw, fresh form. It can also be used in processed form and incorporated into recipes.
Meanwhile, Lang is more of a dried fruit, and it is not as multipurpose as Li.
Yes. The majority of well-known jujube cultivars are self-fertile and don’t rely on pollinators. However, the introduction of bees can highly improve pollination.
Yes. Unfortunately, the Li jujube tree has thorns, and you need to be careful. The recommended spacing is 10-15 feet (3 to 4 meters) apart. It will also give them sufficient room to grow.
A Li tree typically grows to a height of 15-25 feet (4 to 7 meters) and has a spread of 15-25 feet (4 to 7 meters). It can reach up to 40 feet (12 meters) with abundant sunlight and good soil. However, the typical height remains between 15 and 25 feet (4 to 7 meters).
References
eatingwell.com, houzz.com, amazon.com, gardeningchannel.com, sweetishhill.com, texasgardener.com, specialtyproduce.com, starkbros.com, isons.com, groworganic.com treesofantiquity.com, hsph.harvard.edu, healthline.com, gardeningtips.in, fourwindsgrowers.com
