Ziziphus jujuba Mill., Rhamnaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Chinese date, Chinese jujube, Chinese plum, common jujube, jujube, jujube tree

Fijian: ber

French: jujubier commun

Spanish: azufaifo

Habit:  tree

Description: 

Genus: "Trees or shrubs, usually with spiny stipules, the leaves alternate, the blades 3- or 5-nerved from base; flowers perfect, 5-merous, in axillary cymes; ovary sunk in disk, usually 2-locular; fruit a globose or ellipsoid drupe, unwinged, the mesocarp fleshy, the endocarp bony, the seed often solitary." (Smith, 1985)

Species:  A tree 5-10 m high with sharp, slender spines; when mature the fruit is dark red to brown or nearly black and is 2.5-5 cm long" (Smith, 1985; p. 697).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Southern Europe to southern and eastern Asia; widely cultivated elsewhere." (Smith, 1985; p. 697).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 697) Voucher cited: DA 5561
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 128)

Additional information:
Information from "Morton, J. 1987. Indian Jujube. p. 272-275. In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL."

Additional online information about Ziziphus jujuba is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Ziziphus jujuba as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Ziziphus jujuba may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

McCormack, Gerald. 2008. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Smith, Albert C. 1979. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 1. 494 pp.

Smith, Albert C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 3. 758 pp.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.