More Jujube Trees

Do we love jujubes or, it is the search for them that we love?  They really are an intriguing tree/fruit. They’re drought resistant, bug resistant and fast growing. Some days I go out and look at all the fruit trees we’ve planted and I have to ask myself “WHY?”  It’s hard enough for humans to survive the heat, the bugs, the snakes, and drought and dust and cedar pollen of central Texas . . why are we trying to grow fruit here? If ever I come up with an answer to why we do what we do, I’ll be sure to let you know!

This is what my jujube tree looks like now. Look at those thorns! And let me tell you . . they go right through you to the bone! Those are some evil thorns. I’ve learned to never try to pick jujubes on a windy day when the wind can blow those branches into my skin.

Jujube trees are available online at several places but they are outrageously expensive and by the time you add in shipping, it’s more than we’re willing to pay.

There’s a nursery about an hour from here . . a big operation . . Womack’s Nursery, and several years ago, we heard that they stocked Jujube trees. In 2013, I called them in early spring but they told me that you have to get the Jujubes early . . probably in January, because they sell out quickly. In 2014, I can’t remember what we had going on but we never got around to getting over there to get them. In 2015, they never were able to get any. 

I made a note to call them in January of this year and didn’t get around to calling til earlier this week. YES! They had Jujube trees! The guy said “they’re a hot item and they may be gone by the weekend.” I called Vince to see if he wanted me to go over there and get some. For some reason, even though I make it to Missouri and back, or Louisiana and back, by myself, any time I’m going to go to Austin or Abilene or anywhere close, he has the idea that I shouldn’t go alone. I think he just wants to go too!

He took off yesterday afternoon and together, we made our first trip to Womack’s Nursery. There was a time when I could do serious damage to the credit card in a quilt shop, or dress shop, or shoe store . . now, turn me loose somewhere that has plants and I am in my element!

We were really happy to find those jujubes. We’d still like to have a couple of the sugar cane and honey jar varieties, but until they’re more common, we’re happy to have what we have.

We came home with 7 new fruit trees. We already had 1 jujube so now we’ll have 4. We already had 1 persimmon, so now we’ll have 3. We already had 3 pomegranates, or maybe we already have 2 . . can’t remember, but now we’ll have either 4 or 5.

Once these 7 trees are planted, I think the orchard will be pretty full. Here’s what I think we now have:

• Figs – 8
• Pomegranates – 4 or 5
• Jujube – 3
• Plum – 3
• Asian Pear – 3
• Apricot – 3
• Cherry – 6
• Peach – 5
• Pear – 5
• Sugar Pear – 2
• Apple – 3
• Persimmon – 3
• Crab Apple – 2

That’s a lot of trees to have planted in four years! Let’s hope we get some fruit this year!