It is a small tree or large shrub, almost evergreen and usually armed with dark-grey or nearly black bark. Its young branches are rusty tomentose. Leaves are elliptic-ovate or suborbicular, dark green and glabrous above and densely wooly-tomentose beneath. Prickles are in unequal pairs; one straight, the other is recurved. Flowers are in axillary clusters or shortly peduncled cymes. The drupes are oblong or obovoid or globose, 2 celled, fleshy, glabrous and red when ripe. Seeds are plano convex.

Hypnotic, narcotic, sedative, stomachic and tonic (seeds); useful in arresting secretion or bleeding (bark); purifies the blood and aids digestion, increases the function of the brain by releasing more glutamic acid into the bloodstream (fruit); astringent and febrifuge (leaves); anodyne, anticancer, pectoral, refrigerant, sedative, stomachic, styptic and tonic (dried fruits).

Zizyphus jujuba Mill.

Ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, citric acid, niacin, riboflavin, tannin, thiamin (fruit); betulin (bark, seed, stem bark); betulinic acid, maslinic acid, oleanolic acid, scopoletin, ursolic acid (plant); coumarin, rutin (leaf).

It aids weight gain, improves muscular strength and increases stamina. It is a tonic to strengthen liver function and increases immune-system resistance. It promotes the growth of hair. It is used to form a plaster in the treatment of strangury. It purifies blood and aid digestion. They are used internally in the treatment of chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, anaemia, irritability and hysteria. It is used internally in the treatment of palpitations, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, night sweats and excessive perspiration. The root is used in the treatment of dyspepsia. A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of fevers. The root is made into a powder and applied to old wounds and ulcers. The plant is a folk remedy for anaemia, hypertonia, nephritis and nervous diseases.