Jujube (Jin Zao)

Jujube (Jin Zao)

　　Variety origin: Mainly produced in areas around the Shaanxi-Gansu border, such as Bin County, Changwu, Ning County, Jingchuan, Zhengning, and Qingyang.

Fruit characteristics: Large fruit, oblong or nearly cylindrical in shape, with an average weight of 21.6 grams; sizes are irregular. The fruit shoulder is wide, flat, round, and slightly sloping, not very even. The stem cavity is broad and shallow, while the ring cavity is large and relatively shallow. The fruit apex tapers gradually, is flat and round, with a moderately broad, shallow or medium-deep apex cavity. The fruit stem is relatively thin. The fruit surface is uneven but glossy. The skin is thin and ochre-red in color. The flesh is thick, white-green or milky white, with a dense, crisp texture, abundant juice, strong sweetness, containing 30.2%–32% soluble solids (up to 35%), 26.9% sugar content, 97.8% edible rate, and excellent fresh eating quality. Dried jujubes contain 68.7%–78.4% sugar, with a drying rate of 30%–40%, and are of top-grade quality for drying. The fruit stone is of medium size, and some contain seeds. In the production area, budding occurs in mid-to-late April, flowering begins at the end of May, and harvesting is completed around early October when the fruit is fully ripe. The fruit growth period is about 110 days.

Cultivation habits: The tree is tall, with strong trunk vigor, abundant branching, and a columnar-shaped canopy. Mature trees over 100 years old can reach heights of 9–15 meters and crown diameters of 6–8 meters. The tree is vigorous, has a compact canopy, and a long lifespan. It bears fruit early, typically starting to produce in the third year after planting, reaching peak production in seven to eight years, yielding 25–40 kilograms per tree, with maximum yields up to 150 kilograms. It adapts well, is cold-resistant and wind-resistant, somewhat salt-alkali tolerant, but not suited to poor soils. Trees over 100 years old can still bear fruit normally. Insufficient water and fertilizer often lead to alternate bearing. Flowering is sensitive to dry hot winds and rainy, cool weather. The fruit is prone to cracking and rotting if exposed to rain during ripening. This variety features large fruit, thin skin, thick flesh, small stone, and sweet taste, making it suitable for fresh consumption and drying into candied jujubes.

Key cultivation techniques: Planting should primarily focus on intercropping with grain crops. Young tree training mainly adopts central leader and open-center systems, using pruning methods such as bud notching, shoot pinching, winter removal of secondary branches, and heavy cutting to promote branching and early canopy formation. Summer pruning emphasizes shoot pinching and branch thinning to prevent overly dense foliage, which can affect fruit set and reduce yield. Strengthen fertilizer and water management.