From my experience the one on the left is definitely not jujuba. The ones on the right are likely jujuba but still early. I agree—the long petioles give it away. The little bastards that I grew had long petioles from birth.
2 Likes
Is there a jujube gourd the site could have been selling? who was selling non jujube seeds as jujubes? It looks like two of the ones on the left could have some squash like tendencies
1 Like
Hi @RichardRoundTree, the picture i posted didn’t project well, i admit. The ones on the left do look like squash but they are not. Am confident they are in the same family as jujubes, and may even be called jujubes, but not chinese fruit-variety jujube. They are likely of the same genus(Ziziphus), but not of the same species as the most popular fruit-variety for temperate regions(jujuba). May be a jujube from the middle east or tropical asia. There are many species of jujubes, unfortunately, so online sellers may not exactly be accountable. But they should at least mention the species. The seeds were obtained by another GF member from random vendors at ebay. The seeds that looked like gourd seeds didn’t germinate. Was hoping they would as really curious about what they’d turn out to be…
btw, i googled jujube gourd, and was wondering if you might be pertaining to other possible jujube species for woodworking?
https://www.amazon.com/El-Matero-Easy-Clean-All-Natural-Stainless/dp/B07M992YGR
1 Like
Here are a few pics of the jujube seeds I’m starting indoors this winter. I know they are all jujubes, as I (or my family) ate the fruit from around the pits 
The largest one, started 2 months ago. It started off strong and I’ve been moving this one from one window to another, to get the most sun. Yes, it has been excessively babied…
Here are some smaller ones, planted 1.5 months ago and in a South facing window.
About a week ago, I put some into an aluminum foil lined box with some grow lights. It looks like my timer stopped working, so I’ve been manually plugging and unplugging the setup when I remember. I know for some plants getting too much light (or too many hours in a row) is bad. Any idea about jujubes? If it is OK, it’s easier for me to just leave it on all the time…
6 Likes
juju seedlings will likely benefit from ‘too much light’
if at all they will suffer from too much of it, considering your location. Some of those babies will go dormant when planted out in spring(likely due to net decrease in night temps after long periods of constant temps indoors, plus decrease in photoperiod), so loading up their food reserves will be beneficial, being so tiny
1 Like
Nice touch!!
2 Likes
Thanks for the free advert @mamuang! You know, was just telling @k8tpayaso i cringe whenever i find myslef picking up the book and browsing through it. It is nothing more than a leisurely lackadaisical publication.
there’s no need to buy my junk if you’re a member here(heck have posted enough jujube junk here already!)
and will gladly post more juju stuff and answer queries posted in this thread as soon as i can, all one need do is ask
6 Likes
This is true, Raf, but I pick up your book often for different reasons and it’s there and available immediately when I do have need for information. I use it to help choose what scion I might want, making sure I graft my lateral(?) or upright(?) in the right direction, or to determine what variety characteristics this seedling might be exhibiting. I don’t have to wait for my answers…
2 Likes
Agree with Kathy,
Having a book in my hands as a reference is a lot better and faster than browsing through many, many posts and threads.
Sometimes, I can’t even remember what threads contain the info I need.
1 Like
Thanks @mamuang and @k8tpayaso
incidentally, haven’t forgotten my little pledge to this good forum about donating 1$ for each electronic(kindle) version of the book we sell. It is taking a while as still finding a way to make the file look presentable on a smaller tablet. May just have to do away with the graphics which ms word allows(for 8.5" x 11.5" hard copy pages) and settle for one photo per page…
2 Likes
so as a follow up re: seedlings from various online sources
below are the two samples from several weeks ago. Those on the left are definitely not jujuba’s, while those at right continue to exhibit jujuba characteristics
5 Likes
Yup. Man is that strange. Do you believe people buy the seeds only to brew tea and therefore the integrity of the seeds is usually unquestioned? What other seeds are so untrue? Sunflowers aren’t sold as poppies and poppies don’t pretend to be sunflowers.
So #1 can’t serve as rootstock?
1 Like
probably not, and even if it is compatible, probably not hardy in most regions north of us-mexican border.
conversely, also worried that should these non-jujuba seeds end up being resilient to usa conditions, these could end up being invasive. And would serve no purpose if not compatible as rootstock. I have not experimented with interspecific grafting of ziziphus so will try on these, that is if it will survive our summers, or our winters(currently growing these indoors)
never thought of that, but it does make perfect sense.
i can’t think of other major species being sold as pretenders. The closest thing could think of are seeds of custard apple family(soursop, cherimoya, etc) which could easily be mistaken for each other.
also possible that just between you and @k8tpayaso online sellers couldn’t keep up with the demand that they started selling knock offs 
2 Likes
the most promising and fastest-growing of our seedlings from sihong pits. It bloomed at 3rd year of age but unfortunately didn’t fruit. Also exhibits the stiff growth of its mother, and the rather early inclination to develop upright growth from the tip of its lateral, just like its mommy. Hopefully the fruit is at least as good as mommy’s. Poached some budwood to graft to older rootstock to give it a maturity boost. Can’t wait!
11 Likes
Looking Good!!!
1 Like
Nice photo
2 Likes
Thanks! Btw, @castanea was wondering if you intend to populate your next orchard exclusively with self-rooted desirable cultivars as future trees or rootstock.
Or will you be in a hurry and just take your chances with random seed as rootstock(or buy starter trees from lowes with spinosa-type rootstock)?
1 Like
I have brought at least 15 potted jujube trees with me including a Sherwood on its own roots and the original Orange Beauty which is in a 5 gallon pot. I left behind about 30-40 potted trees that the new owners of my property will keep. I have ordered about 10 trees from Shengrui Yao. I will be ordering at least 30 more trees from other sources.
8 Likes
Good luck with those new jujube trees at your new place. It will be a bit colder than Cali.
2 Likes