Christ’s thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) also known as the sidr tree is a real, identifiable tree native to the Middle East, and it appears—directly or indirectly—in Islam, Judaism, and later Christian tradition. The connections between the three faiths are not theological agreements but overlapping uses, names, and symbolic associations rooted in the same landscape.
In Islam, the tree is known as the sidr. The Qur’an refers to Sidrat al-Muntaha, the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, in Surah An-Najm (53:13–18). While the Qur’anic reference is cosmic rather than botanical, Islamic scholarship and popular tradition have long associated the earthly sidr tree (Ziziphus spina-christi) with this name. Separately, the sidr has practical religious use: its leaves are traditionally used for ritual washing, including funerary preparation, because of their cleansing properties. Islamic legal tradition also treats shade-giving trees such as the sidr as protected resources, discouraging their destruction because of their role in sustaining human and animal life in arid environments. In medieval medical literature the jujube appears fre-quently under various names, such as “sidar” or “tsal“, while the fruit is called “nabaq” or dum“. This is the confusing part, because it has so many different names.
In Judaism, the same species is known in Hebrew as shizaf and in English, the jujube tree. The tree appears in rabbinic literature as a familiar fruit tree in the Land of Israel and surrounding regions. Its significance is legal and practical rather than mystical. The shizaf is discussed in the context of agricultural law, including restrictions against unnecessary destruction (bal tashchit, not wasting or destroying) and rules governing fruit trees, property boundaries, and communal benefit. Trees that provide food or shade, even if not commercially valuable, are afforded protection under Jewish law. Trees that provide fruit are forbidden from being cut down, and in Judaism there is even a holiday for the trees, called Tu B’shevat. The jujube therefore functions as part of Judaism’s broader land-based ethic rather than as a singular sacred symbol.
The Christian association is later and less textually grounded. The English name Christ’s thorn reflects a tradition that identifies the tree’s hooked thorns with the crown of thorns placed on Jesus Christ during the crucifixion. The New Testament does not name the plant species, and there is no definitive historical proof that Ziziphus spina-christi was used. However, the tree was common in Roman-era Judea, and its flexible, sharp thorns make the identification plausible enough to persist in Christian tradition and naming. This is one of the theories. Ever hike in the Judaean Mountains outside of Jerusalem, and dry thorny trees and bushes is about all you will find.
The clean line between the three traditions can exist: Islam names the tree as the sidr and elevates it symbolically and ritually; Judaism regulates it legally and ethically as part of a lived agricultural system. Mentioned in the Mishnah and Talmud, they are linked to the biblical atad and, historically. The sidr was also known as pilgrimage trees for women who were barren. Christianity retrospectively associates it with a central moment in the life of Jesus. All three traditions engage the same tree through different lenses—cosmic boundary, legal responsibility, and historical memory—without relying on the same texts or meanings. According to this article it is the only holy tree in Islam and the Druze also revere this tree for its spiritual importance.
The medicinal uses for Christ’s thorn, the sidr tree are vast. These are documented ethnobotanical use in Israel and the wider Middle East.
Medicinal Uses of Christ’s Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi)
| Medical condition / use | Plant part & preparation | Communities / regions recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Toothache, gum disease | Root or bark powder rubbed on gums | Arabs, Bedouins (Israel); Iraq; Arabian Peninsula |
| Arthritis, joint pain | Paste of crushed roots, leaves, or branches; steam inhalation | Arabs, Bedouins; Arabia; Dhofar (Oman) |
| General pain relief | Paste of crushed roots or branches mixed with flour | Arabs, Bedouins |
| Muscle pain | Steam from boiled branches and leaves | Sinai & Negev Bedouins |
| Bruises | Fruit, leaves, or seeds applied | Arabian Peninsula; Dhofar |
| Chest pain, asthma | Fruit, leaves, seeds (infusion) | Medieval Levant; Arabia |
| Headache | Fruit, leaves, seeds | Arabia; Dhofar |
| Heart pain | Branch-based preparations | Sinai & Negev Bedouins |
| Eye inflammation | Powdered seeds, green leaves, or roots as poultice | Arabs, Bedouins; Iraqi Jews; Egypt |
| Stomach disorders (constipation, heartburn) | Decoction of fruit, seeds, or leaves | Arabs, Bedouins; Ancient Egypt; Iraq; Morocco |
| Diarrhea | Fruit or leaf infusion | Bedouins; Yemenite Jews; Iraqi Jews |
| Intestinal worms | Fruit, seed, or leaf infusion | Arabs, Bedouins; Iraqi Jews |
| Hemorrhoids | Leaves (topical or infusion) | Yemenite Jews; Iraqi Jews |
| Wounds | Fresh fruit juice applied | Arabs; Iraqi Jews; Ancient Egypt |
| Burns | Crushed fruit, boiled | Iraqi Jews |
| Skin diseases | Boiled or crushed leaves, resin | Iraqi Jews; Arabia |
| Abscesses | Cataplasm of boiled leaves | Morocco |
| Lung and respiratory illness | Leaves or fruit | Iraqi Jews; Arabia; medieval Iberia |
| Blood purifier / tonic | Leaves or fruit | Yemenite Jews; Ancient Egypt |
| High blood pressure | Leaf infusion | Israel; Jordan |
| Fractures | Poultice of boiled leaves | Arabian Peninsula |
| Cooling / febrifuge | Bark, leaves, fruit | Ancient Egypt; Iraq; Morocco |
| Hair and scalp problems | Liquid from leaves, fruit, resin | Arabs; Iraqi Jews; Arabia |
| Snake bite | Wood ash mixed with vinegar | Medieval Levant; Morocco |
| Bee / wasp stings | Leaves applied | Medieval Levant |
| Colds | Fruit | Israel; Jordan |
| Weight reduction | Fruit | Israel; Jordan |
| Nervousness | Branches and leaves | Negev Bedouins |
| Liver disorders | Fruit | Ancient Egypt |
Source: Dafni, A., Levy, S., & Lev, E. (2005). The ethnobotany of Christ’s Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) in Israel. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 1:8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-1-8
What unites these traditions is that the jujube tree heals wounds, cools bodies, feeds communities, and thrives where water is scarce. It teaches patience, restraint, and coexistence with the land.
