Producers in the Southeast are always keeping an eye out for the next new crop they might be able to incorporate into their farms. In recent years we have heard a lot about satsumas and olives here as well as commercial production of pomegranates. Here is a story from Vegetable and Specialty Crop News on the jujube, a new fruit that has potential for growth in the Southeast especially if newer cultivars can be made more disease-resistant. Their ability to grow in rainfall as low as 200 mm per year ( about 8 inches per year) could make them a great crop in times when water is in short supply. You can read more at https://vscnews.com/could-jujube-be-a-fruit-tree-for-the-southeast/.

Tigertooth jujubes turn yellow and then brown as they ripen. The dark fruits are the sweetest, with a texture of a soft apple. They are easily harvested at this stage. Future efforts may focus on increasing synchronous ripening.