Ber Apple(Elanthikka) fruit plant

Plant Details

• Botanical Name: Ziziphus mauritiana

• Common Names: Ber, Indian Jujube, Chinese Date, Elanthikka (Malayalam), Badari, Regi Pandu (Telugu), Kul (Bengali), Bor (Hindi), Ilanthai (Tamil)

• Family: Rhamnaceae

• Origin: Native to India and Southeast Asia, widely cultivated in tropical regions.

• Type: Small, fast-growing deciduous to evergreen fruit tree.

 Appearance

• Height: 4–12 m (can be pruned and maintained smaller).

• Leaves: Glossy, oval, with three prominent veins.

• Flowers: Small, yellow-green, fragrant, in clusters.

• Fruits:

  • Round to oval, smooth-skinned, green when young, turning yellow, orange, or reddish-brown when ripe.

  • Flesh is crisp, sweet-tart, sometimes compared to apple in taste and texture.

  • Contains a single hard stone (seed).

Care Guide

Sun  Light

• Requires full sun for healthy growth and abundant fruiting.

 Soil

• Grows in a wide range of soils, even poor sandy soils.

• Best in well-drained loamy soil with organic matter.

• Tolerates slightly saline or alkaline soils.

 Watering

• Drought-tolerant once established.

• Needs moderate watering during dry periods and fruiting stage.

• Avoid waterlogging

• Fertilizer

• Apply farmyard manure/compost annually.

• During growing/fruiting season, supplement with balanced NPK fertilizer (nitrogen for growth, potassium for fruiting).

✂️ Pruning

• Regular pruning helps shape the tree and improves fruiting.

• Remove weak, crossing, or overcrowded branches.

 Uses & Benefits

1. Nutritional Value

• Fruits are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and antioxidants.

• Good source of iron, calcium, and dietary fiber.

2. Culinary Uses

• Eaten fresh, dried, or pickled (very popular as Elanthikka achar/pickle in Kerala).

• Used in chutneys, candies, jams, and beverages.

3. Medicinal / Traditional Uses

• In Ayurveda and folk medicine:

  • Fruits: Cooling, digestive, blood-purifying.

  • Leaves: Used for treating wounds, fevers, and skin conditions.

  • Bark & roots: Used for diarrhea, ulcers, and throat infections.

4. Other Uses

• Shade tree in dry regions.

• Fodder: Leaves used as fodder for livestock.

• Wood: Hard and durable, used for tools and fuel.