When Do Winter Jujubes Ripen? A Detailed Guide to Winter Jujube Ripening Time

Winter jujubes are very cold-tolerant. Grown under normal conditions, they ripen naturally in October-November. If given plenty of light, sufficient water and nutrients, and careful care, winter jujubes generally ripen early around June-September. On the market, fresh ripe winter jujubes are generally only sold from July-November.

1. The reason winter jujubes are called “winter jujubes” is also that they ripen naturally in October-November each year, when the north enters winter relatively early.

2. Generally, starting from early October, winter jujubes can be picked in batches, and the picking time is best after the morning dew has dried, which is more helpful for preservation. In addition, the degree of ripeness at picking has a relatively large impact on storage life; the lower the ripeness of winter jujubes, the more storagable they are, with the initial red fruit (less than 25% coloring) being the most storagable. So if picking for fresh eating, do it when half-red; if for processing, you can choose to pick at the initial red stage.

The Value of Winter Jujubes

Winter jujubes not only have the advantages of crisp skin, good taste, and tender flesh, but their flesh is also very rich in vitamin C. The vitamin C content of winter jujubes is seventy times that of apples, and even hawthorn is no “match” for it. In addition, winter jujubes also contain nineteen amino acids needed by the human body, and are also relatively rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamin A, trace elements, and more.