Chinese jujube

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese jujube
• Chinese-date
• common jujube

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ziziphus zizyphus
• Rhamnus zizyphus
• Zizyphon jujubum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and order Rosales, it is further categorized into the family Rhamnaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Ziziphus, which includes the species Ziziphus jujuba.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Ziziphus jujuba, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across various regions of Europe. In Southwestern Europe, its presence is noted in both France and Spain. Moving toward the Mediterranean, it can also be found in Southeastern Europe. Within this eastern region, the species is established in Bulgaria and Greece. Additionally, the plant extends its range into the Southeastern European territory of Italy.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ziziphus jujuba is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse topographical and environmental conditions. This species thrives across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 2200 m AMSL, with a mean elevational presence of approximately 1666.67 m AMSL. Its preferred habitats are varied and include hills, mountains, and stony places, demonstrating a resilience to rugged and well-drained terrains. Additionally, the plant frequently colonizes disturbed areas such as roadsides, indicating its ability to persist in anthropogenic landscapes and opportunistic environments.

Elevational range max:

2200 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1666.66666666667 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

hills, mountains, roadsides, stony places

Life history

The life history of Ziziphus jujuba is characterized by its classification as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation that supports its development into a robust, long-lived tree. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage annually in response to seasonal changes, which dictates its cyclical patterns of growth and dormancy.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ziziphus jujuba is characterized by its woody growth form, which can manifest as either a shrub or a tree. As a terrestrial and independent organism, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant is self-supporting rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of its physical stature, it reaches a minimum plant height of 3 m, with a maximum height typically recorded up to 8 m, though it can reach an average height of approximately 10 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

8 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ziziphus jujuba is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative structure includes leaves that exhibit significant morphological variation; the average leaf length is 5 cm, ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 7 cm, while the leaf width averages 2.75 cm, with values spanning from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 4 cm. Furthermore, the structural integrity of the plant is supported by its wood density, with a mean stem specific density (SSD) of 845 mg/cm³, reflecting its internal tissue composition and physical robustness.

Leaf length max:

7 cm

Leaf length mean:

5 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.75 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

845 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ziziphus jujuba is characterized by a specific flowering window and the development of distinct fruit and seed structures. The flowering period typically commences in June and concludes in July, though the timing can be variable. During the reproductive phase, the plant produces inflorescences that are quite small, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.002 m to a maximum of 0.003 m. Following pollination, the plant develops fruits that vary in size; the fruit length ranges from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 3.5 cm, with an average length of approximately 2.75 cm. The seeds produced within these fruits exhibit significant variation in mass, ranging from a minimum of 0.0425 g to a maximum of 0.60479 g, with a mean seed mass of 0.320164 g.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length max:

3.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

2.75 cm

Fruit length min:

2 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.003 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.002 m

Seed mass max:

0.60479 g

Seed mass mean:

0.320164 g

Seed mass min:

0.0425 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ziziphus jujuba has 3 reported plant parts identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf, seed.

Fruit

1. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
2. TheScientificWorldJournal
3. International journal of molecular sciences
4. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. Drug development and industrial pharmacy
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal de mycologie medicale
4. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Seed

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Planta medica

Chemicals

Ziziphus jujuba has 120 reported phytochemicals identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Jujuboside A, Jujuboside B, Spinosin, CHLOROGENIC ACID.

Flavonoids

1. TheScientificWorldJournal
2. Journal of separation science
3. Food chemistry
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
5. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Jujuboside A

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
2. BMC plant biology
3. BMC genomics
4. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
5. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Jujuboside B

1. BMC plant biology
2. BMC genomics
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
4. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Spinosin

1. BMC plant biology
2. BMC genomics
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
4. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
2. Dermatologic therapy
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Nucleosides

1. Food chemistry
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of chromatography. A

Sanjoinine A

1. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2. Journal of the American Chemical Society
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

betulinic acid

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Planta medica

sucrose

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Adouetine X

1. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2. Journal of the American Chemical Society

Activities

Ziziphus jujuba has 20 reported activities identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial.

Antioxidant

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Biogerontology
3. EXCLI journal
4. Food chemistry
5. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Anticancer

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Biomolecules

Analgesic

1. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2. Journal of the American Chemical Society

Antibacterial

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))

Antimicrobial

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Ancient science of life

Anxiolytic

1. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2. Journal of the American Chemical Society

Hepatoprotective

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Laxative

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))

Sedative

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))

Antianxiety

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Ziziphus jujuba has 54 reported medicinal uses identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include insomnia, inflammation, oxidative stress, anxiety, breast cancer.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations