How to grow Jujube in Australia
The Chinese red date, a tough drought and heat tolerant tree that shrugs off poor soil. Great for hot dry inland gardens.
At a glance
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: 8 litres a week, watered every 4 days
- Spacing: 500 cm
- Time to harvest: 365 days (about 1 year)
- Time to germinate: 1 days
- Soil pH: 6 to 8
- Frost tolerance: Frost hardy
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | June to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | June to August | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | June to August | |
| Melbourne & Victoria | June to August | |
| Adelaide & SA | June to August | |
| Perth & WA | June to August | |
| Tasmania | Not suited | Not reliable. Jujube needs a long hot summer to ripen and sweeten its fruit, which Tasmania rarely delivers. |
| Canberra & ACT | June to August | |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not reliable. Chinese jujube needs some winter chill and a dry summer to fruit. Never plant Indian jujube (Chinee apple), a restricted invasive plant in Queensland. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not reliable. Chinese jujube needs some winter chill and a dry summer. Indian jujube (Chinee apple) is a declared weed in the NT, so never plant it. |
Harvest and storage
Storage
Fresh keeps a week; dries and stores for months.