Ber / Indian Jujube

Zizyphus mauritiana

Beng: (Topa) Kul Hindi: Ber

A familiar mid-sized spiny tree with a short bole, crooked twisted branches, elliptic small dark green small leaves, nearly black bark. Underside of the leaves are usually downy white. Fruits are more familiar (especially to the city bred) and they come to market during late winter / early spring.

Bark: Nearly black, with wavy ridges and deep vertical furrows

Leaf: Broadly oval, glossy green above, white downy below, margin very finely toothed

Flower: Pale greenish yellow. 5 starlike flower-cup alternately with 5 tiny petals arranged around a central disc.  

Fruit: Cherry- or olive-like. 3 cm long green when unripe and reddish when ripe. Fleshy, with a round stone. There are numerous cultivated varieties, which are usually much larger than the wild ones

Season: Flowers appear from August to October and the fruits ripen from January to March. Leaves are changed during April or May, post fruiting.

Range/habitat: The Ber is indigenous in many parts of Asia and Australasia and is found throughout the hotter parts of India. It is common near Kolkata, in the vicinity of villages. The cultivated varieties are grown in orchards and usually heavily pruned for ease of plucking the fruits.

Trivia and notes: The wild variety, called “topa kul” in Bengali, is very tart and has a strong smell, which some people do not find agreeable. Those who like it, relish it in the form of chutney, achar etc. The cultivated verities, much sweeter, are eaten raw.

Where to find: Usually not planted in cities. There are a few (presumably self-grown) trees are there in Rabindra Sarobar. Of late, in Miyawaki plantation in Rabindra Sarobar this tree is included. One grown up tree in Rabindra Sarobar in the Menoka cinema side of the lake on the right-hand side after entering from Gate number 5.  GPS: 22.50943, 88.34809