What soil does Jujube grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, sandy, calcareous, acidic.

Hardy down to -23 °C (USDA zone 6, RHS H7). It gets through winter everywhere at lower altitudes, but may not survive unprotected in a mountain garden.

How far from the house should Jujube be planted?

Plant it at least 2 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

When does Jujube flower?

Flowering: May–July, yellow, green.

How much water does Jujube need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

Jujube

Ziziphus jujuba

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) is a fruit plant. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -23 °C. Drought tolerance: high.

Illustration of Jujube — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A small, open-crowned tree with zigzag branches and glossy leaves that copes well with hot, dry summers and limy soil, and whose tiny fragrant flowers draw bees for weeks. The common varieties fruit on their own, so one tree is enough, though a second variety nearby usually gives a heavier crop. Allow for thorny branches and root suckers, and plant it in the warmest, sunniest spot, because the fruit only ripens after a long, warm summer.

Watch out for

This is the hardiest of the group: ripened wood takes roughly -20 to -23 °C, but in Central Europe the shoots can be cut back in colder winters and while the tree is young. After a cool, short summer the shoots do not ripen, which makes them more tender, and the fruit does not ripen either, so choose a warm, sheltered site and mulch the base for the first winters. It leafs out late, so spring frost rarely harms it. Root suckers can come up several metres from the tree; on grafted trees they grow from the wild rootstock and are very thorny, so remove them at the base. It dislikes waterlogged, heavy, airless soil, and fallen fruit makes litter.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Low
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 4 m × 3 m
Hardiness: down to -23 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–July, yellow, green

Group	Fruit
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	4 m × 3 m
Ultimate size	4.5–9 m × 3–9 m
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	May–July, yellow, green
Harvest	September–October
Self-fertile	yes
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	yes
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	at least 2 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	Fruit
Planting distance	400 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	no data
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Drought-tolerant plants Drought-tolerant plants for sandy soil Fruit trees and bushes Plants for a Mediterranean garden Fragrant plants Plants with autumn colour Plants with edible fruit

Looks good next to it

Aubrieta

Aubrieta × cultorum

Bearskin fescue

Festuca gautieri

Carthusian pink

Dianthus carthusianorum