GA-866 Jujube Tree

Buy GA-866 Jujube Trees for sale at Advanced Nursery Growers in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

GA-866 Jujube is a distinctive Chinese jujube cultivar prized for its exceptionally sweet flavor, crisp texture, and long, narrow fruit. Often called a Chinese date, jujube fruit can be eaten fresh while crisp and apple-like or allowed to fully ripen and dry for a sweeter, date-like texture and flavor.

GA-866 produces elongated fruit that can reach approximately 2 inches long. The fruit begins green and gradually develops reddish-brown to mahogany coloring as it ripens.

This variety is especially valued for its sweetness and is an excellent choice for fresh eating, drying, home orchards, edible landscapes, and specialty fruit collections.

Jujube trees are well suited to Southern growing conditions because they thrive in heat and full sun and become highly drought tolerant once established. They are also relatively low-maintenance fruit trees with good tolerance to many common environmental stresses.

Plant Details:

• Plant Type: Deciduous fruit tree
• Botanical Name: Ziziphus jujuba 'GA-866'
• Common Names: GA-866 Jujube, Chinese Date
• Mature Size: Approximately 15–30 feet tall; may be maintained considerably smaller with pruning
• Growth Habit: Upright to spreading deciduous fruit tree
• Sun: Full sun for the best flowering and fruit production
• USDA Zones: Approximately Zones 5–9
• Chill Requirement: Approximately 200 chill hours
• Bloom Time: Spring into early summer; jujubes often flower later than many traditional fruit trees
• Harvest: Generally late summer into fall; GA-866 is typically considered a mid-autumn ripening cultivar
• Fruit: Long, narrow fruit reaching approximately 2 inches
• Fruit Color: Green when immature, developing reddish-brown to mahogany coloring as it ripens
• Flavor: Exceptionally sweet with crisp, apple-like texture when fresh; sweeter and date-like when fully dried
• Fruit Uses: Fresh eating, drying, preserves, desserts, specialty fruit production, and home orchard use
• Pollination: Partly self-fruitful; a single tree may produce fruit, but a genetically different jujube cultivar is recommended for improved fruit set and heavier production
• Soil: Adaptable to many soil types but performs best in well-drained soil
• Water: Water regularly during establishment; established trees are highly drought tolerant but fruit production benefits from adequate moisture
• Pruning: Can be pruned to maintain a smaller size and improve harvest accessibility
• Landscape Uses: Home orchard, edible landscape, specialty fruit planting, food forest, or low-maintenance fruit garden

North Florida Growing Note:

GA-866 Jujube is a very good specialty fruit-tree choice for North Florida, the Florida Panhandle, and nearby South Alabama.

Jujube trees thrive in hot summers and full sun and are remarkably tolerant of drought once established. They also leaf out relatively late compared with many traditional deciduous fruit trees, which can help them avoid damage from some late spring freezes.

The approximately 200-hour chilling requirement of GA-866 is low enough to make it a good candidate for our region.

UF/IFAS reports that Chinese jujube cultivars can perform well in Florida, although fruit set can vary among cultivars and from year to year.

For the best results, plant GA-866 in full sun with well-drained soil and avoid locations that remain continuously waterlogged.

Pollination Recommendation:

GA-866 is considered partly self-fruitful, meaning a single tree may produce fruit.

However, for improved fruit set and heavier production, we recommend planting GA-866 with a genetically different jujube cultivar that flowers during the same general period.

Do not rely on planting a second GA-866 as the primary cross-pollinator because both trees are the same cultivar.

Other jujube cultivars such as Li, Shanxi Li, Sugar Cane, Honey Jar, or another genetically different compatible selection may help provide cross-pollination where bloom periods overlap.

Fruit Quality & Harvest Note:

GA-866 is particularly valued for its exceptionally sweet, elongated fruit.

For fresh eating, harvest when the fruit begins developing reddish-brown coloring but remains firm and crisp.

Fruit allowed to ripen further becomes progressively sweeter and can be dried for the traditional date-like texture associated with Chinese jujubes.

Growing GA-866 Jujube:

Plant in full sun for the best production.

Although established jujube trees are highly drought tolerant, regular watering during establishment and during fruit development can improve growth and production.

Jujube trees are adaptable to many soils, but good drainage is important. Avoid continuously wet or waterlogged planting sites.

Trees can also produce root suckers, which may need to be removed periodically if a tidy single-tree form is desired.

Local Pickup & Limited Shipping:

Local pickup is available for most plants and trees at our nursery in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

Limited shipping may be available for select trees, liners, and smaller plants in 3-gallon containers or smaller. Shipping availability depends on the plant variety, size, quantity, destination, and packaging requirements. Shipping charges are calculated separately.

Please contact us before ordering if shipping is needed so we can confirm that the plant can be shipped and provide the current shipping cost.

Contact Advanced Nursery Growers:

Advanced Nursery Growers LLC
1911 McLeod Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Phone: 850-391-2228
Email: info@advancednurserygrowers.com
Website: www.AdvancedNurseryGrowers.com

Wholesale:

Wholesale pricing is available for qualified nurseries. Please contact Advanced Nursery Growers for current availability and wholesale pricing.