Ziziphus spina-christi, known as the Christ's thorn jujube, is an evergreen tree or plant native to the Levant, East Africa, and Mesopotamia. Fruit and leaves from the tree were used in preparing ancient Egyptian foods, in cultural practices, and in skincare routines - especially with qasil powder derived from the Ziziphus spina-christi tree leaves.

Ecology

In the Levant, it grows in valleys up to an elevation of 500 m, and is drought tolerant and heat-resistant. The ripe fruits are edible. The seed, contained within a small, oblong woody pit, is opened and eaten by local fauna, including the rock hyrax.

Cultural and religious references

In the Levant and wider Middle East, it is called sidr (associated with the lote tree of the Quran), and is common in the Jordan Valley and around Jerusalem, as well as in the Hajar Mountains of the Sultanate of Oman. By some traditions, it was the tree from which Jesus' crown of thorns was made. Matthew George Easton argues that Z. spina-christi is too brittle to be bent into a crown, and suggests another local plant, Ziziphus lotus. The oldest known Z. spina-christi is located in Ir Ovot, in the south of Israel. It is estimated to be between 1500 and 2000 years old. It is believed locally to be the very tree from which Jesus' crown of thorns was made. It is the national tree of Qatar and the symbol of the central Arava.

Gallery