ziziphus zizyphus


jujube

jujube

A small 30 ft (10m) tree, usually with thorny branches, shiny waxy leaves with 3 veins at the base, small greenish yellow 5 petal flowers that smell like grape juice. Fruit is edible olive-shaped, when young is smooth-green, with the consistency and taste of an apple, maturing brown to purplish-black and eventually wrinkled, looking like a small date. There is a single hard stone similar to an olive stone. Fruit is eaten as a snack. The chinese love these and use them in everything. Can be eaten raw, dried or added to drinks etc. A no-care plant. Antifungal, antibacterial, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, sedative, antispastic, antifertility/contraception, hypotensive, said to help spleen and stomach get the most energy possible from food and drink. Increases energy, improves sleep. aids digestion, detoxes body, soothes stomach, slows gastrointestinal infections, destroys unwanted parasites in intestinal tract, suppresses appetite. Be careful, by each leaf is a sharp long thorn!