Seeds of the local Sidr tree (Ziziphus spina-christi)

Common name: Sidr Baladi Scientific name: Ziziphus spina-christi Also called: Nabq - Abri Description: • A tree from the genus Ziziphus from the Rhamnaceae family, dense and widespread, with a branched trunk and twisted branches, small oval-shaped leaves with two winged spines, one straight and the other curved. Fruit: • Spherical, diameter from 1.5 to 3.5 cm, orange or red when ripe, sweet taste. Flower: • Flowers form in leaf axils, numbering between 10 and 15 flowers, small, white-greenish in color. Uses and benefits: • The Sidr Baladi fruits are edible because they are sweet and high in nutritional value, and they have uses in folk medicine. Native habitat: • The Sidr tree is native to Saudi Arabia, the Gulf countries, and the Levant, and its cultivation spreads in tropical and subtropical regions. Suitable climatic conditions and soil for cultivation: • Tolerates extreme heat, drought, and wind, prefers saline soil, and grows in most soil types. Cultivation method: • Sidr trees propagate by cuttings taken in winter or by seeds collected in summer, and seeds are soaked in water before planting.