Any cold hardy jujube good for zone 5?

[BobVance]

@jujubemulberry

And if so happens that one’s in an area where tree may get caught by wicked winters, one could just start on a potted specimen and bring in to one’s garage for a couple of winters until the tree bulks up well enough to be planted permanently outdoors. From what observed, the thicker the calipers of cold-sensitive species(citrus, subtropicals, etc), the more likely to survive cold spells.

I just thought of a 3rd which died (Norris from RR, also freshly planted the same fall). I don’t normally do that much fall planting, so I’m not sure if it was that particular winter or just jujubes not reacting well to fall planting. Bigger would probably help, but the 2 So were from JFaE and decent caliper potted plants. The change in climate from FL to freezing in relatively short order may have had an impact. I bet if I had planted the same trees the prior spring they would have been fine after a season in the ground.

[ztom]

@Barkslip

You need to winterize them for several years until the bark thickens up thus protecting itself from the elements and hardiness has been increased.

I’ve been wanting to try this with cold hardy muscadines (ex. Triumph or Carlos) in zone 5a. I was thinking of a portable lightly insulated enclosure and a small electric heat source. I would leave it exposed until about 10 degrees so as not pamper it, then heat to keep them above 5 degrees. After 4 or 5 years, I’d leave them on their own to see if they could make it. Also, I’d then like to try crossing these muscadines with some vitis riparia and vitus lubrusca if they are compatible.

[Barkslip]

It might be a good idea then Tom to grow it vertical and train it to weep. Then you can winterize it much-much easier and have a lot of branching for production. Certainly worth a try!

Dax

[Cloud8064]

I guess I was misguided by its name winter delight. Will stick to honey jar this time.

[jujubemulberry]

@Cloud8064

stick to honey jar this time.

hj seems to be on its own when it comes to cold-hardiness considering that it has relatively weak growth compared to other jujus. It tends to be the droopiest of the jujus when fruiting due to comparatively thin stems, and seems to take longer reaching thick calipers. Also topnotch for being one of the earliest varieties, so more likely to bear fruits to maturity in northerly regions

[jujubemulberry]

@BobVance

The change in climate from FL to freezing in relatively short order may have had an impact. I bet if I had planted the same trees the prior spring they would have been fine after a season in the ground.

totally agree

[castanea]

I think they named it Winter Delight because the fruit is the last jujube to ripen before winter…