Ziziphus jujuba Mill.Var.spinosa(Bunge) Hu ex h.F.Chow,a plant of Rhamnaceae,is mainly grown in Shaanxi,Shanxi,Hebei,Shandong,and Henan in north China.Owing to the differences of wild growth conditions and other factors,variations appear in the fruit morphology and the germplasm is becoming increasingly diverse.To understand the overall distribution and diversity of Z.jujuba var.spinosa resources in China,we reviewed the relevant publications at home and abroad in the past 20 years.The studies of Z.jujuba var.spinosa mainly focused on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects and rarely concerned the germplasm resources.The long-term wild growth,harvesting,processing,and storage affect the quality of the herbal medicine Ziziphi Spinosae Semen to a certain extent.This paper summarizes the distribution,resource diversity,and chemical composition of Z.jujuba var.spinosa,expecting to provide reference for the germplasm conservation and R&D of Z.jujuba var.spinosa.