The New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service will host a jujube workshop from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8 at the Leyendecker Plant Science Research Center, 7200 Plant Science Circle, in Las Cruces. The event will include a presentation about jujube basics and its fruiting habits with a fruit tasting session to follow.
Jujube fruits are very nutritious, rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber and cyclic adenosine monophosphate. The jujube is a fruit species that is suitable for New Mexico because it produces a reliable crop annually and is not affected by late frosts. According to Shengrui Yao, Extension fruit specialist, jujube fruit is expected to mature two weeks earlier than normal in 2026.
“Based on our 10-year jujube cultivar trials at three locations, Las Cruces showed the best overall performance. This workshop will provide customers with an excellent opportunity to learn the basics of jujube production, taste and compare different cultivars, and observe their performance in the field,” said Shengrui Yao, Extension fruit specialist.
The workshop cost is $5 per person. Attendees will have the opportunity to pick some fruit samples in the field at the conclusion of the workshop. This event is limited to 35 attendees. To register, contact Autumn Martinez at 575-646-2281 or purple@nmsu.edu.
To learn more about jujubes, visit the jujube website at jujube.nmsu.edu or read recent NMSU publications from Yao “Jujube Cultivars in New Mexico” and “Jujube: Chinese Date in New Mexico.”