Ziziphus spina-christi


Ziziphus spina-christi, known as the Christ's thorn jujube, is an evergreen tree or plant native to northern and tropical Africa, Southern and Western Asia. It is native to the Levant, East Africa and some tropical countries. Fruit and leaves from the tree have been used in Ancient Egyptian food and medicine. Modern research has shown that compounds extracted from the tree’s leaves could be used to decrease severe inflammation. Additionally, honey from bees that feed on the tree’s nectar has anti-bacterial properties that inhibit infectious diseases, especially when compared to other types of honey.

Ecology

In the Levant, it grows in valleys up to an elevation of 500 m. 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, a hundred years ago, it was called sidr and was common in the Jordan Valley and around Jerusalem. There were some folklore traditions that said the trees were protected by benevolent spirits or dead saints. 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 south of Jerusalem, in Ein Hatzeva, 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.

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