THE JUJUBE. 



Zizyfihus sativa, Gaertn. RHAMNACEAE 



Maltese = zinzeL Italian = giuggiolo or zizzolo French = jujubier. 



This tree, believed to be a native of China, has been 

 cultivated in these Islands from a remote period. It is 

 a large thorny shrub or tree, sometimes with a trunk 

 measuring up to 30 c.m. in diameter, and is leafless in 

 winter. The small elliptical foliage is of a shining green 

 colour and is very ornamental The flowering sprays 

 have graceful drooping habit, and die off and are shed, 

 every year, soon after the foliage. The small greenish 

 flowers are succeeded by olive-shaped fruit, which ripen 

 in summer, acquiring then a shining brick -red or coppery- 

 red colour, and are very sweetish, containing a special 

 glucoside. Each fruit contains one stone-shelled seed 

 like that of the olive. 



The tree is propagated chiefly by suckers, which are 

 produced freely around it, often at a considerable distance 

 from the stem. These are transplanted in winter and 

 strike easily even if they happen to be put poorly 

 provided with roots. Propagation by seed is difficult and 

 hardly ever resorted to, but seed gathered at maturity 

 and stratified, or sown at once, in a sandy soil, will ger- 

 minate in the following spring. The jujube-tree thrives 

 well in all soils and all situations, but prefers a sunny 

 situation, where in a few years it becomes a fine tree and 

 fruits abundantly. The tree has a straggling habit, with 

 twisted branches, and being well armed with stout sharp 

 thorns, would make a very effective hedge with proper 

 treatment. 



It is the practice with old gardeners to hang large 

 heavy stones on the jujube, especially at the flowering 

 period, with the object of increasing the production of 



