Jujube, a genus of tropical or subtropical shrubs or small trees. The jujube seldom grows more than 30 feet (9 m) high. It has slender, prickly branches, and oval or oblong leaves. The greenish or whitish flowers are followed by small, olive-shaped fruit. The common, or Chinese, jujube, also called Chinese date, is raised to some extent in Florida and California. Its dark red or brownish fruit is prized as food in China and is used for flavoring candies in the United States. The leaves are fed to silkworms.
The common jujube is Zizyphus jujuba of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae.