Yanhean Jujube

Yanhean Jujube

Yanhean Jujube is a protected geographical indication product.

Yanhean Jujube is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Yan'an jujubes have long enjoyed a great reputation, especially those from Yanchuan County, which are particularly famed. Located east of the Yellow River, Yanchuan County lies in a temperate semi-arid region characterized by dry, low-rainfall weather, significant day-night temperature variations, and long hours of sunlight. Due to the unique geographical influence of the Yellow River, it serves as an ideal habitat for jujube cultivation, boasting over 300 years of planting history. The county's main varieties—round jujube, strip jujube, and dog-head jujube—produce large fruits with thick flesh and sweet taste, representing high-quality dried and fresh varieties. The crisp jujube, also known as hanging-tooth jujube, is another standout, featuring large fruits with thin red skin, white and tender crispy flesh, and a sweet honey-like flavor. It is an exceptional raw snack, particularly favored by women and children. In 1982, Kim Il-sung, Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, visited Xi’an and, after tasting these jujubes, praised them highly, subsequently importing 300 high-quality jujube saplings from the county to North Korea. Currently, the county has a total jujube orchard area of 8,000 hectares, yielding over 2,000 tons annually, earning it the title “Hometown of Jujubes.” Locally produced products such as "Pagoda Brand" jujube jam, golden-thread candied jujube, and drunken jujube have repeatedly won awards, becoming beloved delicacies among visitors.

　　Yanchuan has a long history of jujube cultivation. According to the 1831 (11th year of the Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty) Yanchuan County Annals: “Jujubes are grown in many places, but none compare to those in the eastern region.” Along the Yellow River, jujube trees form forests stretching for hundreds of miles, producing fruits with thick flesh and small pits, similar to those from Lingbao. The “eastern region” refers to three towns along the Yellow River: Yanshui Pass, Yancha Temple, and Tugang. The long-renowned “dog-head jujube” originates from Zhuangtou Village in Yanshui Pass Town on the banks of the Yellow River. In 2006, Yanchuan formulated a development strategy of “two driving forces and four breakthroughs,” establishing the dominant role of the jujube industry and setting the goal of building itself into a renowned jujube-producing county. The county’s Party committee and government closely followed the development approach of “expanding scale, strengthening management, improving processing, and promoting industrialization,” issuing the call to “mobilize the whole county for jujubes, ensure every village and household grows jujubes, have every official and resident understand jujubes, and rely on jujubes for farmers’ poverty alleviation and prosperity.” They vigorously advanced the “southern expansion, northern shift, and western advance” strategy for jujube cultivation. Starting in 2006, Yanchuan’s jujube orchards expanded at a rate of 30,000 mu per year, reaching a cumulative total of 387,000 mu by 2010, forming a basically contiguous jujube forest belt along the “two lines and three towns” (National Highway 210, Yong-Yan Line, and Yanshui Pass, Yancha Temple, and Tugang).

　　　　Yanchuan produces a wide variety of jujubes, which can be divided into two major categories—round jujube and strip jujube—encompassing over 50 varieties. Among them, the dog-head jujube is perhaps the most famous. Dog-head jujube trees are vigorous and tall, with 50-year-old trees reaching around 10 meters in height. The jujube shoots are purple-brown, with underdeveloped spines and strong branching ability, typically producing 3 to 5 branches per shoot. The leaves are medium to large, ovate-lanceolate, and dark green. In the growing region, flowering begins in early June, with sparse, small flowers about 6 mm in diameter and apricot-yellow nectaries. Coloring occurs in late September, and maturity is reached in early October. Fruits are prone to cracking during the rainy season at maturity. The fruiting period lasts 100 to 110 days. The fruits are large, oval-shaped, with a vertical diameter of 41 to 48 mm and a horizontal diameter of 29 to 31 mm, averaging 18 grams in weight, with a maximum of 23 grams, though sizes vary. The fruit apex is flat, with remnants of the style, and the pedicel cavity is narrow and deep. The peel is moderately thick, dark red, and smooth. The lenticels are small, round, and densely distributed. The flesh is thick, greenish-white, dense, crisp, sweet, with moderate juice content, and of premium quality, suitable for both fresh consumption and drying. Fresh jujubes contain 25% soluble solids and 0.42% acid. Dried jujubes contain 79% sugar and 0.67% acid. The pit is relatively large, spindle-shaped, with a slender tip, averaging 1 gram in weight, and the edible rate is 95%. Trees generally begin bearing fruit in the second or third year after planting, with high and stable yields. Mature trees typically yield around 100 jin (50 kg) of fresh jujubes per plant. Cultivation requires deep, fertile soil; in areas with poorer soil conditions, the fruits tend to develop poorly and remain small.