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Rhamnaceae FAMILY

Ziziphus lotus

Ziziphus lotus

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Shrub
Growth—

Ziziphus lotus is native to the Mediterranean region, with its hot, dry summers and cool, moist to wet winters. It can tolerate moderate frosts, but only if it has previously experienced a hot, dry season. It does not succeed in cold temperate regions or in mild, maritime areas with cool summers. Requires a sunny position. Succeeds in most soils so long as they are well-drained.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed requires 3 months warm then 3 months cold stratification[1]. Germination should take place in the first spring, though it might take another 12 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant out in early summer. Root cuttings in a greenhouse in the winter[2]. Best results are achieved if a temperature of 5 - 10°c can be maintained[3]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, late autumn to January in a frame[3]. Division of suckers in the dormant season[4]. They can be planted out direct into their permanent positions if required. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Ziziphus+lotus>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. — Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. · Athens Ga. Varsity Press · 1987 · ISBN 0942375009 ↩︎A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
  4. [4]Atlas of Medicinal Plants. — Kariyone. T. · Nihon Rinshosha; Osaka · 1973 ↩︎A good Japanese herbal.
  5. [5]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  6. [6]Mediterranean Wild Edible Plants - Ethnobotany and Food Composition Tables — María de Cortes Sánchez-Mata; Javier Tardío (Editors) · Springer; New York · 2016 · ISBN 978-1-4939-3327-3 ↩︎