Fruit Tree
Chinese Jujube 'Li'
Ziziphus jujuba 'Li' · Rhamnaceae
Also called: Chinese Date, Red Date, Li Jujube
Chinese Jujube 'Li' (Ziziphus jujuba 'Li') is a low-water fruit tree well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a moderate growth rate. Expect yellow-green (small, fragrant) blooms late spring into early summer.
Chinese Jujube 'Li' at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (6-8+ hours); more sun yields more and sweeter fruit.
- Mature size
- About 15-25 ft tall, 10-15 ft wide; can be kept smaller with pruning.
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- Yellow-green (small, fragrant), Blooms late spring into early summer (small inconspicuous yellow-green flowers); fruit ripens late summer to fall (Aug-Oct).
- Cold hardiness
- Very heat- and cold-hardy; deciduous and fully reliable in USDA 9a-9b. Blooms late so frost is rarely an issue.
- Soil
- Adapts to a wide range including poor, alkaline, and caliche soils as long as drainage is adequate; tolerant of Tucson's native soils. Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline pH.
- Native range
- Garden cultivar; species native to China and southern/central Asia. Long cultivated and well adapted to the desert Southwest.
- Best used as
- Fresh eating (apple-like when crisp), Drying (date-like), Edible landscape, Low-water/xeric orchard
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees; the species can be thorny. Birds and wildlife eat fallen fruit.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic; fruit, including the single hard pit, poses only a choking/obstruction risk to pets. Generally considered safe and pet-friendly.
How to grow Chinese Jujube 'Li' in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought-tolerant once established - deep soak every 2-3 weeks in summer is usually ample; less in cooler months. Water regularly the first 1-2 years to establish, then taper off. Overwatering reduces fruit quality.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Light feeder - little to no fertilizer needed in most Tucson soils. A modest spring application of balanced fertilizer or compost is sufficient; iron chelate only if chlorotic.
Pruning & care
Prune in winter dormancy to shape, remove suckers, and thin crowded/crossing branches. Jujubes sucker aggressively from roots - remove root sprouts regularly to prevent a thicket.
Notes
Outstanding low-water, low-maintenance fruit tree for Tucson - thrives in heat, tolerates poor soil, and has a very low chill requirement (well under 400 hr), so it fruits reliably. 'Li' bears large, round-to-pear-shaped sweet fruit, crisp like an apple when yellow-green and date-like when allowed to wrinkle/brown. Largely self-fruitful but yields improve with another cultivar (e.g., 'Lang') nearby. Watch for aggressive root suckering and possible thorns. Plant bare-root in winter or from container in spring.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension (Yavapai) - The Chinese Jujube: https://cales.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/chinesejujube2011.html; Growing in the Garden - Arizona Fruit Planting Guide: https://growinginthegarden.com/arizona-fruit-planting-guide-a-visual-guide-for-low-desert-fruit/; Grow Organic - Jujube Tree Growing Zone Guide: https://www.groworganic.com/blogs/articles/cultivating-jujube-trees-an-in-depth-guide-to-climate-care-and-cultivation