Shanxi Li Jujube Tree

Grow your own Jujubes for a crunchy, refreshing snack straight from the tree; or long-lasting, chewy, sweet dried fruit. But be warned, once you start, you'll want to collect all the Nature Hills varieties! Shanxi Li (Ziziphus jujuba 'Shanxi Li') produces some of the largest, and roundest, fruit, coming in at over two inches long!

These rounded fruits are the reason for the nickname Pear Jujube. It has a later harvest than other varieties. Like many plants that developed in Asia, there is a lyrical quality to the branching and delicate, glossy leaves. Tiny, fragrant flowers bloom abundantly in mid-summer and attract bees and other pollinators. They love hot, long summertime heat to produce and ripen lots of fruit.

Our expert growers highly recommend this variety for both fresh eating and dehydrating. When fresh, they snap, crunch and taste a bit like an apple. These 'Chinese Dates' will grow sweeter once dehydrated.

People around the world appreciate them as ornamental edibles, and prepare the versatile fruit by juicing, smoking or drying. They can be candied, fermented, canned in syrup, or turned into marmalade, pastes and preserves.

The health benefits of these yummy fruits are a nice added bonus. Jujube fruits are an excellent source of vitamins A, B, and C in addition to calcium, iron, phosphorous, and nutritious fatty acids. In Chinese medicine, they are said to reduce stress and inflammation.

Backyard growers in the United States are discovering these marvelous fruits, and busy studying and sharing notes with each other online. They love the Shanxi Li, noting that it was originally developed from the Shanxi province, near Beijing.

Hardy throughout USDA planting zones 5 to 9, Shanxi Li is cold-hardy and partially self-fertile. Growing 15-20 feet in height and width quickly, these fast-growing deciduous trees are ready to start producing fruit within 3-5 years of age! Already shipping at least 3 years old, you'll enjoy fruit sooner with trees from Nature Hills!

Planting and Application:

Shanxi Li produces loads of green, rounded fruits that ripen to reddish-brown. Pick them while green to ripen on your kitchen counter, or let them hang until fully brown. Try them at various stages to see what your favorite is!

The fruits can be picked yellow-green about 2 inches, and they will finish ripening to a reddish-brown after picking. Or, let them hang on the tree until fully brown. They'll keep for several months in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Dried fruit can store for a year in an airtight container.

A single edible landscaping focal point looks beautiful in the front yard, or unique shade tree in the backyard! Jujubes will produce fruit as a single tree, but you'll get a bigger harvest with partner trees. Why not try several varieties that ripen at different times? You'll have access to fresh Jujubes longer!

Shanxi Li Jujube and other Jujube varieties would make an incredibly useful barrier hedge plantings. The small thorns deter trespassers and are lovely hedgerows.

Plant them along your fence line in a row. If you'll keep the trees smaller with summer pruning, use a hedgerow approach. Plant them 7 feet apart on center. Partially self-fertile, mix and match Shanxi Li with other Jujube for increased pollination among all plants. Plant 15 feet apart on center, if you will allow them to grow into full-size trees. Measure from trunk to trunk.

• Mid to Late Season, Depending on Where Grown
• Extremely Large Rounded Mottled Fruit - Over Two Inches
• Greenish-Yellow Fragrant Flowers
• Great Crisp, Apple-Like When Eaten Fresh
• Self-Pollinating - Get More Fruit With Another Variety Nearby
• Gets Sweeter When Dehydrated & Stores for Months!
• Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Millennia

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Easy to grow, they are widely adaptable to a range of temperatures and do not require many chill hours to set fruit. Plant Jujube, like all fruit trees, in full sun and well-drained soil. Use a raised bed for planting if you have poorly drained soil. Pay careful attention to watering to establish young trees. After the first season, Shanxi Li Jujube is quite drought-tolerant, however, you'll get the best flavor if you provide consistent water during fruit production. Fertilize the trees in early spring with a good, slow-release formula, applied according to label directions.

Prune in late winter to establish the structure of the tree. Remove crossing branches and open the canopy to sunlight and air circulation at that time. For size control, prune again in summer to remove length from branches, or train yours as single or multi-stemmed tree. These durable trees are very rarely bothered by pests or diseases. These ornamental fruiting trees can be kept smaller with summer pruning. Follow good backyard orchard practice and hold them to 8 feet tall or less. You'll have an easier harvest!

• Full Sun
• Moderate Moisture Needs - Drought Tolerant Once Established
• Well-Drained Soil
• Prune In Summer
• Excellent Disease Resistance

With healthy fruit that can be used in so many ways, the low-maintenance Shanxi Li Jujube is a winner! Order yours today, but hurry... These popular trees will sell out quickly. Come join the fun! Jujube trees are beautiful, productive and easy-care. Order a collection from Nature Hills today!