Florida Jujube, Scrub Ziziphus

Looks like the two remaining Ziziphus of the original population of hundreds found have been clearly identified as Parrys Jujube:
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Since Scrub Oaks seem to choke out Parry's Jujube, there is little chance it is a long lost, nearly extinct endemic for Florida.

I believe Bok and Archbold both share a genetically-modified version of Parrys Jujube, which was mutated through very heavy hormone treatments in effort to increase shoot production. The fact Bok & Archbold first got together in the 1970s and somehow a decade later theres dozens of plants should be suspicious enough.

At this point I feel like the US Federal Government might be wasting money on Parrys Jujube in Florida.

Florida Jujube or Scrub Ziziphus (Ziziphus celata) is native and endemic to the Lake Wales Ridge scrub habitat of central Florida in Polk...Read More and Highlands counties. It is a shrub to small or medium-sized tree with small, rounded leaves and orange fruits (jujubes). The branches all have sharp, distinctive thorns. Sadly, this interesting and endemic native plant is listed as endangered by the U.S. and state of Florida due to habitat destruction of the remaining and rare scrub habitat it is found in, which is also almost entirely endemic to Florida. It is suitable for xeriscaping in a native plant garden; however, permits are needed to obtain seeds.

MORE FACTS - Florida Jujube is a protected species. Efforts are being made to protect it and the rare scrub habitat on the Lake Wales Ridge it is found in, in Polk and Highlands counties. The entire Lake Wales Ridge is found in the middle of Florida and is a ridge of scrub habitat stretching southward from the western end of the Ocala National Forest in north-central Florida southward to Polk and Highlands counties, just northwest of Lake Okeechobee. Scrub is an important and rare and unique ecosystem. It is nearly entirely endemic to Florida except for very tiny portions in Georgia and Alabama. For this reason, scrub is often called Florida Scrub. It is home to many endemic plants and animals found nowhere else, such as the Florida Bonamia, Scrub Beargrass, Pygmy Fringetree, Florida Scrub Jay, Florida Mouse, and many other species.

Florida was given a $ 40,000 grant today to help promote the growth of the Ziziphus celata, that naturally grows along the central Ridge ...Read Morearea of Florida, espicially in Lake Wales and Babson Park. Only a few plants remain in the wild and special interests are taking seeds to re-establish this once thought extinct plant. The Ridge section of Florida is a narrow high ridge that begins in Clearmont, West of Orlando, and stretches down to Lake Placid, 20 miles South of Sebring, Florida.

FL - endangered

Endemic to the Lake Wales Ridge in central Florida.

It was thought to be extinct until a po...Read Morepulation was discovered in 1987.