How to Grow Jujube Honey Jar
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Jujube Honey Jar
Ziziphus jujuba 'Honey Jar'
fruitHoney Jar is a superior cultivar of the Chinese jujube, a small deciduous tree producing sweet, date-like fruits with thin pits and crispy, juicy flesh. This variety is prized for its exceptional sweetness, compact growth habit, and prolific production, making it ideal for home gardens and containers. The fruits ripen progressively over several weeks in late summer and early fall.
When should you plant Jujube Honey Jar in your zone?
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Example Jujube Honey Jar timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Jujube Honey Jar
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Jujube Honey Jar
Late summer into fallBefore the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Jujube Honey Jar dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Best suited to zones 6-9; can survive zone 5 with winter protection
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Get my Jujube Honey Jar timeline →Growth Stages
Establishment
1-2 yearsYoung tree (1-2 years) develops root system and main framework with sparse branching
Water regularly to establish deep roots. Stake if needed. Minimal pruning except to shape framework. Remove any flowers first year.
Juvenile Growth
1-2 yearsTree enters vigorous vegetative growth with increased branching and leaf production
Continue regular watering. Prune in early spring to establish open vase or multi-leader shape. Apply balanced fertilizer in spring. Begin allowing light flowering.
Flowering
4-8 weeks, often in flushesSmall greenish-yellow flowers appear on branch tips in late spring through early summer, some clustering in axils
Tree may self-pollinate but cross-pollination with another jujube variety increases yield. Maintain consistent moisture during flowering to prevent fruit drop. Avoid excess nitrogen.
Fruit Development
6-8 weeksFruits develop from pea-sized green drupes to larger green orbs over 6-8 weeks
Thin fruit if extremely crowded (optional; Honey Jar naturally sets manageable crops). Deep watering supports fruit sizing. Reduce nitrogen. Monitor for pests.
Ripening & Harvest
4-6 weeksFruits progress from green to yellow-orange to reddish-brown as they ripen; flesh becomes sweet, crispy, and juicy
Harvest fruits at desired ripeness (yellow-orange for crispness, darker for maximum sweetness). Reduce watering in final weeks to concentrate sugars. Pick progressively as fruits ripen.
Common Pests
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Thin fruit for air circulation; remove fallen fruit; use yellow sticky traps; sanitation of pruning tools
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Increase humidity; spray with water; use horticultural oil in dormant season; neem oil if severe
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Horticultural oil spray in winter or early spring; manual removal; improve air circulation
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Remove and destroy infested fruit; use pheromone traps; Bacillus thuringiensis spray if needed
Uses
Fresh eating and desserts
CulinaryHoney Jar fruits are exceptionally sweet and crispy, excellent for eating fresh out of hand, or using in smoothies, desserts, and baked goods. The thin pit makes eating convenient. [source]
Drying and preservation
CulinaryJujubes can be dried whole or halved, becoming date-like in texture and suitable for long-term storage, trail mix, or confections. [source]
Traditional herbal remedy
MedicinalIn Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, jujubes are valued for promoting sleep, reducing anxiety, supporting digestion, and boosting immune function, often used in teas and tonics. [source]
Jam and juice production
HouseholdThe sweet flesh makes excellent natural jam, preserves, and fresh pressed juice without added sugar, high in vitamin C and antioxidants. [source]
Pollinator and wildlife support
WildlifeThe tree provides nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators, while the fruit attracts birds and beneficial insects to the garden. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Harvest fruits when skin transitions from green to yellow-orange (if preferring crisp texture) through reddish-brown (maximum sweetness). They may be harvested over a 4-6 week period as they ripen progressively. Fruits do not ripen after picking, so only harvest fully mature fruit. Pick gently to avoid bruising. Fruits store well in refrigerator for several weeks.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Honey Jar is a grafted cultivar selection bred for superior sweetness and compact size, often grafted onto hardy rootstocks like 'Li' or seedling jujube to improve cold tolerance and disease resistance.
- 🌱 Jujube fruits become sweeter as they ripen and can reach 25-30% sugar content when fully ripe, rivaling dates in sweetness; they are one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees, with records dating back over 4,000 years in China.
- 🌱 A mature Honey Jar tree can produce 50-100+ pounds of fruit annually once established, and the fruits continue ripening progressively over weeks, allowing for extended fresh harvests rather than a single flush.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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