Phoenix dactylifera L.

Solitary or sparsely clustering palm, never thicket-forming, with massive erect trunk 40–50 cm. in diameter, ultimately to ± 20 m. tall, but rarely reaching more that 8 m. in East Africa.. Trunk dull brown, conspicuously marked with leaf-sheath scars and short bases; leaf-bases ± 25–30 cm. wide and 10 cm. high.. Crown of mature individuals with 50 or more green leaves. Leaf to 3 m. or more long with rather stiff rachis and petiole only slightly arcuate; true petiole to 20 cm. only, with coarse brown sacking-like sheath; apparent petiole 50-100 cm., armed with acanthophylls; acantho-phylls to 15 cm. long by 4 mm. wide, aligned in various directions; leaflets about 80 on each side of the rachis, stiff, moderately regular, sometimes slightly fanned, tending to point distally as opposed to being inserted at right-angles, dull glaucous green in colour, to 30 × 2 cm.. Male inflorescence large; peduncle to 60 cm. or more; prophyll ± 45 cm. by 10 cm. wide, brown furfuraceous when young; rachillae numerous to 30 cm. or more, with staminate flowers in scattered groups or singly.. Male flower somewhat asymmetrical, rather obtuse at the tip, not acuminate; calyx to 2 mm. long; petals cream, fleshy, to 8 mm. long, 3 mm. wide; pistillode minute.. Female inflorescence as the ♂, but the peduncle greatly elongating after anthesis, pendulous; rachillae to 40 cm. long by 3 mm. wide.. Pistillate flower globose, ± 5 mm. in diameter at anthesis; calyx ± 2 mm. long; petals rounded ± 4 mm. long by 4 mm. wide, imbricate; carpels ±2.5 mm. long, only the reflexed stigmas exposed at anthesis.. Fruit very variable, 4–7 cm. long by 2–3 cm. wide, varying from yellow to orangey brown, to deep chestnut or almost black in colour, with mesocarp varying from thick, sweet and juicy to thin and dry.. Seed similarly variable, ± 2.4 cm. long by 0.6–0.8 cm. wide, with conspicuous longitudinal furrow; embryo lateral.

They suit dry subtropical climates. It needs hot, dry arid climates while fruit mature. It can tolerate salty or brackish water. It can also grow in alkaline soils but with reduced yields. In cold temperate regions the palm grows but rarely flowers. It does best in areas with long dry summers and sufficient heat for fruit to ripen. It should not have rain during flowering and fruit set. For best production it needs 3,400 heat units above 10°C for fruit to fully mature. It can grow in arid places. It suits plant hardiness zones 9-12. In Yunnan.

The fruit is eaten fresh or dried. They are also used for jams and preserves. The date stones can be fermented or roasted and used as a coffee substitute. They can be pressed for oil. Dates are also pressed for juice. The sap is used for jaggery and sugar. The male flower can be eaten. The pollen is eaten.

Plants are grown from seed. Seed take 4-5 months to germinate. They begin bearing 5-6 years after planting and reach full production by 15 years. A palm lasts about 80 years. Female plants need to be pollinated before they bear fruit. A single male is sufficient for 50 females. Taking suckers from good producing plants is a more reliable means of growing new plants. A well established palm can give 8-18 good suckers over a 6 year period. These suckers should have some leaves cut off during transplanting. About 10% of plants should be male, for pollination. Selection of a good pollinator tree is important. Fruit thinning is often needed to give good sized fruit. Three to four bunches per tree are sufficient.