What's eating my so jujube?

So Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba 'So') is a distinctive corkscrew-branched ornamental-fruiting tree with the pest resilience typical of all jujubes. Aphids on new growth and spider mites in dry spells are the most common minor problems. Scale insects can colonize bark. Birds enjoy ripe fruits. No serious pest issues are reported in North American or UK plantings.

Small soft insects clustering on young shoot tips; leaves pucker and curl; honeydew droplets lead to sooty mold on leaves and fruit beneath. Hose off with a strong water jet; insecticidal soap or neem oil spray if numbers build; tolerate minor infestations in late spring when natural predators are active.

Fine webbing and pale stippling on leaves during hot dry summer weather; heavy feeding turns leaves bronze and causes early drop. Increase watering and humidity around the tree; spray the undersides of leaves with neem oil or insecticidal soap; introduce predatory mites if infestations recur.

Armored or soft-scale encrustations on bark; sap loss weakens shoots; sticky honeydew coats lower leaves and encourages sooty mold. Apply dormant horticultural oil in late winter; prune out and destroy scale-infested stems; avoid over-feeding with nitrogen which encourages susceptible soft growth.