I bought some fruit trees, mail order, from
One Green World. OGW is about a 2 hour drive from here. Not too far. I had them shipped ground freight. It's fall, cool outside. Figured they would survive the trip, and they did.
The trees were nicely packaged.
I think they did a great job preparing the trees for shipment. There is also a male kiwi vine, more on that later.
No injuries that I can see. The jujube trees were smaller than I expected. I guess they will catch up. I also expected them to be bare root. They were container grown. Maybe the web site stated that and I missed it. Despite small size, they look completely healthy.
I made a "mole basket" from chicken wire. I've learned my lesson. I think the wire will rust away in a couple of years. The openings are big enough for roots, for many years to come. A 10 year old root would fit through the chicken wire. By that time, the wire will be long rusted away.
Planted Jujube. Mulched with compost. Good time to plant. Cool, rained yesterday, and started drizzling after I finished.
I bought 2 varieties:
Li and
Coco. I've never eaten a jujube. Apparently the fruit is plum sized, sweet, crispy like apples, with interesting flavors.
Jujube "Li", from OGW. There was no photo of "Coco", which was the 2nd one I bought.
According to the catalog, Jujubes grow to 8 to 10 feet tall. Compact, nice size for a fruit tree. From the web site
specialtyproduce.com "
Thought to be native to Syria and China... primarily grown in China...ornamental small thorny tree...loves a dry and mild climate....grows in Mediterranean countries and has since biblical times. Chinese gardeners developed the small fruit until it became superior and dessert quality...now cultivated in Japan, Iran and Afghanistan...Other names for this fruit are Chinese date and tsao. "
Chinese Haw "Red Sun". Ning remembers Shan Zha (Chinese Haw) from northeast China, where they are native. Apparently the fruit is between cherry and plum in size. They look like crab apples, in the photo. I've never eaten one. From the OregonLive blog:
"grows at a moderate rate to 20 feet tall...10-12 feet wide. Lobed, oaklike leaves...3/4-inch-diameter white flowers explode in May in finger-length trusses, followed by clusters of glossy crimson edible fruit that ripens in mid- to late October." They label Red Sun as "Da Mian Qii") From OneGreenWorld, where I bought the tree:
Chinese Haw "Red Sun" OGW states the tree bears the 2nd year from planting.
Planted. Had a brain spasm and forgot a mole basket for this one. Will probably be OK.
Have you gotten any fruit from your Coco jujube? Is the taste anything like it's description (i.e. are there really any hints of coconut?)
ReplyDeleteThe jujube has not borne fruit yet. It was a bit chewed by deer this year. I imagine it's still a couple of years from bearing, even without the deer.
ReplyDeleteit is 2016 now. Have you ever got any fruits? If, how about the taste? I live in the Great Vancouver area, and wonder if I could grow Jujube here.
ReplyDeleteHi Daniel.
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask how are your Jujube plants now? Did they fruiting in Pacific northwest. Should you recommend to plant them here in Seattle areas. Thank you so much for updating Daniel.
Hi Vincent,
DeleteThanks for asking. I should update better when things don't work out. Deer kept eating them, and I didn't have good protection back then. So I don't know how they would do without all of the deer. Maybe someone else will have better information for you!
Hello, I am also in the pacific northwest and wanted to confirm if your tree has given fruit and if it is growing like a regular tree should. I have heard some individuals state it just grows up instead of out like they may do in other parts of the country. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Marley,
DeleteAfter several tries, I gave up on Jujubes. Deer kept eating them, and the last varieties that I fenced in did not thrive. They died over the winter, and I called it quits on Jujubes.
The Chinese Haw does very well and provides handfuls of fruit every year.
Delete