have been asking around if anyone has grown this in the torrid southwest deserts, but no contesta, so had to step up to the plate trying to ‘pioneer’ it in vegas.
a gamble worth ~100$ (shipping included, from florida). The wood is quite stiff, like its jujube cousin.
Glad we finally have somebody here who is growing it themselves. I look forward to your report in a few years; I’ve been curious about the tree for a while.
will definitely post updates. And hoping that it would be promising ones!
our dry heat during summer is my greatest fear.
Just looks strange to eat…
@Matt_in_Maryland posted a video called Let’s find out in the Roger Meyers post, I got hooked on watching them all. This episode shows someone growing a Japanese raisin a little after 9 minutes into the video. I thought it was neat.
Yes. The man with the blue beard.
they sure look odd. But this guy is one who enjoys even more outrageous-looking fruits as durian, jackfruit , marang, etc. 
hopefully the taste more than makes up for the weirdness, haha. If not, will probably just enjoy it for the fragrant blooms.
now if could only get it past one hellish vegas summer…
Maybe some juju shade? 
yes, will definitely test its mettle out in the open at >110F and check the leaves daily for yellowing/burning, and if any, may have to move it under dappled shade
I’ve got this in its 3rd year in ground. First year growth was strong, but it developed a hard fork that I didn’t like, so I chopped it back at the beginning of last spring. It rebounded, but re-grew slowly last year. Hardiness is not an issue on this one.
I didn’t get any flowers yet in the past 2 years…maybe this year. If so, I will take some pics ans share.
It is supposed to be fragrant and attractive
Scott
just as have suspected @Chills , if it is the rare and unusual, then you already have it!
one of the reasons why bought it.
if it actually survives but subsequent fruits underwhelm, its fragrance should earn it a reprieve.
am a 100% “snip and snails and puppy dogs’ tails”-- but for some reason a sucker for fragrant flowers…
From what I remember hearing, season length may be an issue in some colder zones even if hardiness isn’t.
academes and agriculturists obsess about chill units, and offer useful calculating apps like this one
hard to argue though that annual solar energy received during growing season(respective to location) is at least as important as chill units, but apparently nobody cares about coming up with a system to determine photovoltaic hours required by fruit species . So hereby–and unabashedly-- proposing coming up with a “photosynthetic model” which determines productivity of each species/cultivar correlated with total amount of direct sunlight the species receives during its growing season, based on location.
the closest thing to determine this is by referring to this website, which is nothing more than a reference for folks interested in generating electric power.
if raisin trees have a tendency to leaf out late(just like many of its cousins–mulberries and jujubes), then it might be missing out on annual photosynthetic units, which is a unit i just coined while typing this . Tree just make enough food to sustain its stems, leaves, and roots, but hardly a surplus to finance ‘expensive’ activities as flower- or fruit-production.
Just to be clear, I didn’t mean to say that raisin trees might not flower well or set fruit well in more northern areas but rather I simply meant to say that the “fruit” might not have enough time to mature in areas with shorter growing seasons (all of which I say based just on hearsay).
you’re right, it is possible that the species will do well producing fruit, but only happen to get caught by cold weather too soon. My hypothesis probably just applies to jujubes and other species, which seem to survive frigid temps(in northerly latitudes) and grow vigorously during the growing season(which i surmise is a quest to ‘escape’ shaded conditions), but not inclined to bear fruits, or only bearing marginal amounts relative to those being grown in the southwest, which happen to receive the most kwh/square meter/day.
and yes, even jujus get caught by cold weather where am at, since juju fruiting here extends to november.
Two years ago I attended an event where someone was selling Raisin Tree seedings and also had a bag of the dried “fruit” (actually penducles) to taste. I really liked them so I bought a tree. It is in a location where sun will be scarce until it grows to about 10’ tall. In two years it has grown mostly straight without much lateral branching, so it’s now a 5’ stick with some leaves at the top. I know these get big so I am hoping this is the year it gains some vigor.
really happy to hear from one more fruit-grower trying this intriguing species. Would love to see updates/progress from you and @Chills, and will post updates from my end as well.
first to get it to fruit wins 
I will admit, I just can’t help trying everything… Just wish I had more space.
It was quite difficult to find for a while there. Took me 3 years to get one, if I recall…
Right now my plant-lust is focused on actinidia polygama ‘hot pepper’, though I’ve killed one already. It’s on my list for this spring. (Again)
Scott
quite sure you’re already aware, but if not, then let me be the first to tell you that you’re fully-versed taking on fruit-growing in california, considering the challenges you’ve faced, and experience accumulated in your location. Growing stuff in cali would be child’s play if you should decide to relocate.
I visited the Arnold Arboretum last fall, and got to see a mature specimen of Japanese RT. It was a real tree at 40’ tall and spreading just about as wide! Fruit and stems had all gone by, there was plenty of seed lying around however…
