I read Cliff’s inventory wrong. It’s “Qi Yue Xian.” Originally, I had the second and third character correct, but the romanization was throwing me off the first character because it made me second guess the third one.
Qi Yue Xian - July Fresh(English translation), 七月鲜 - Selected by expert Dr. Wang Changzhu (王长柱) from the Shaanxi Jujube Research Center. Selected from provincial survey of farms in 1996 of seedlings. Collected in 1997. named in 2003. Certification in 2013. 29.8g average. 26.8% brix. 85 days maturation. Mortality is 3.5% for -22C for 2-3 year old saplings. Strongest salt tolerance of tested jujubes and of 450 varieties in observation at National Jujube Resource Nursery, rated second in early maturity. For dry and fresh market. Competitive with Huping zao and sweeter than Junzao (骏枣) and Muzao (木枣). 0.2% less acid than Junzao, Huping zao, and Junyou No 1 (骏优一号).
There is another different cultivar called “Mid Autumn Beauty” (literal translation), which kind of makes this confusing. As @castanea is more familiar with cultivars and their import history, I assume he’s correct that “Qi Yue Xian” = “Autumn Beauty” as it was introduced by OGW.
These are other jujubes originating from China in Cliff’s inventory.
Hama zao/ Frog 蛤蟆枣. I think this would be more accurately called toad not frog. Unknown history. Heirloom cultivar with 200 year old trees. . Main commercial crop in Yongji county in Shaanxi. 34g average. 28-32% brix. 40g max. 0.432% acidity. 68% water content. Poor frost resistance. Poor crack resistance. overcropping tendency. fresh market mostly. Tall upright, long internodes.
Mu zao, 木枣 (wooden jujube), also known as Luilang Wooden (吕梁木枣). From Luilang area in Shaanxi. Softer flesh. Fresh market. Finger shaped. Dual use - dry and fresh.
Si Hong zao (泗洪大枣), heirloom cultivar dating to Ming dynasty. Also known as Shangtang (上塘大枣) and Sihong tribute (泗洪贡枣). In the 1970s, 98% of jujubes in Sihong district were decimated by jujube witches broom (JWB). The original tree was noticed to be unaffected. In 1985, cuttings were taken from original tree for propagation. 50g average. Resistance to fruit shrinkage, anthracnose. 30% brix
Jin Chang, 金昌枣. I can’t find much info on this one other than it’s grown in Hebei province. It seems to be an older southern cultivar along side zanhuang. There is a Jin Chang No 1 金昌一号, so I assume it has still some value in breeding.
Yu Zao, 玉枣, same as Hetian Jade (和田玉枣), aka Jade Jujube. Primarily a drying jujube. Cultivars in use are Huping (壶瓶枣) and Junzao (骏枣). Differences in name seem to be due to area grown, kind of like a PDO thing. 20-35% brix.
Dae Bai Ling, Da Bai Ling, Big Bell, Big white bell, 大白铃 - 25g average. 49 gram max 25% brix green. 30% brix red. Also known as steamed bun/mantou jujube (馒头枣), duck egg jujube (鸭蛋青枣) , pear jujube (梨枣). Selected by Shandong Institute of Fruit Research in 1983 for fresh market.
Mei Mi, 美蜜枣 . There is a GRIN like database in Heibei (National Center for Forestry and Grassland Genetic Resources/国家林林业和草原种质资源库) There’s almost no other information about this cultivar other than it’s a landrace from Shanxi province - [Conical crown; cylindrical shape; medium yield; poor crack resistance] . Fresh fruit market. Could Mei Mi be the same as the Mi in Cliff’s possession?
Linfen Candied, 临汾蜜枣. This cultivar seems more common than Mei mi. Head/crown larger than bottom. Oval fruit. Spindle shaped seed. Landrace from Shanxi. dual use- dry and fresh. This would be the other candidate for the Mi zao in Cliff’s inventory.
[There is one called Mi zao. This name confounds me because it would mean candied jujube. As a result, it’s nearly impossible to turn up a search of the cultivar because I just get results of the processed candied form of jujube.]
Random fact: Jujube witches broom is called jujube madness disease (枣疯病危害), crazy jujube (疯枣树) or public jujube (公枣树). This was confusing at first because they use the same character from mad cow disease (疯牛病).
From those in Cliff’s inventory from China, Ying Lo and Mi Zao are the only two from China that I can’t really trace (at the moment).