2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), also called Chinese date, was imported into the US beginning in 1908. Its fruit is rich in vitamin C, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), fiber, and antioxidants. Both its fruit and seeds together with seeds from wild jujubes (Z. spinosa) are traditional Chinese medicines. Jujubes grow and produce well in the U.S. especially the Southwest. At this time, the limited plant supply is a critical issue limiting the jujube industry. Hopefully, tissue cultured plants will solve the plant shortage problem. Jujube cultivars can be classified as fresh eating, drying, multipurpose and ornamentals. We will discuss the jujube cultivar collections in the U.S., cultivar classification and recommendations for growers. We will also discuss the jujube research progress, challenges and opportunities of jujube production.