Description
Ber is a small or medium-sized subtropical tree, popular for its small berry-like fruit.
Ziziphus mauritiana (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), also known as Indian plum, is a tropical fruit tree species belonging to the family Rhamnaceae. A small spreading tree, with drooping branches; height, 5 to 8 meters; trunk girth, 85 cm; bark, rough, gray or dull black, irregularly cracked.
Leaves, ovate, broad, dark green and shining from above. The flowers are yellowish and born in clusters along the leaf axils and this is shortly followed by the rounded fruit.Plant Specifications
Plant Height | 48 inch (122 cm) |
Plant Spread | 7 inch (18 cm) |
Common Name | Indian jujube, Indian plum, Chinese date, ber, Chinee/Chinkee apple, jujube |
Maximum Reachable Height | 2-3 meter |
Flower Colour | Yellowish |
Bloom Time | February and April |
Difficulty Level | Moderate |
Planting and care
Ber Fruit care
Z. mauritiana is now found throughout the arid and semi-arid tracts of much of Asia and Africa, also the Americas and Australasia. The trees grow well in abandoned agricultural fields and on marginal lands, requires little rainfall.
Sunlight | Full Sun to Partial Shade |
Watering | medium |
Soil | Deep sandy to loamy well-drained soils are considered best |
Temperature | Ideal 10 to 23 degrees C. Can tolerate -5 degrees C to 49 degrees C |
Fertilizer | Use any organic fertilizer. |
Harvest Season | Seedlings take two to three years to start fruit production. |
Ber Fruit special feature
Special Horticultural practices:Attempts to increase fruit set, fruit size and early/delayed maturity through application of growth regulators proved to effective.The growth regulators like GA, NAA, CCC and Ethephon were used. GA (10 ppm) and NAA (10 ppm) during fruit development and Ethephon one month before harvesting were sprayed. Application of NAA increased the yield of fruits with cost benefit ratio of 1:3:30.
Ber Fruit uses
Medicinal Use:
- Used in pharmaceutical preparations
Culinary Use:
- Root, leaf, Fruit