What's eating my sihong jujube?

Sihong Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba 'Sihong') is prized for early, very sweet fruit and shares the excellent pest resistance typical of the species. Aphids and spider mites are the most commonly reported nuisances. Scale insects occasionally appear on bark. Birds target the sweet, early-ripening crop. Chemical intervention is rarely warranted.

Colonies on new spring growth; shoot tip distortion and curling; honeydew deposits below infested shoots encourage sooty mold. Encourage natural predators; use insecticidal soap or dilute neem oil spray; pinch out heavily infested tips before colonies spread.

Tiny bronze or red mites on leaf undersides during dry weather; stippled, dull foliage; premature leaf drop in severe cases. Mist the foliage regularly in dry spells; apply neem oil; introduce predatory mites (Phytoseiulus or Amblyseius spp.) for sustained biological control.

Ripe fruits (which colour earlier than most cultivars) pecked or carried off; crop loss can be significant on smaller trees. Net the tree before fruit begins to turn; harvest at first colour and allow to ripen off the tree; reflective tape provides short-term deterrence.