Date

The date palm is a palm tree that produces very sweet fruits. It grows well in hot climates, often in an oasis in desert areas. This page provides some basic information about the date palm, together with date photos and some date proverbs.

Basic information on date palm

Scientific name:	Phoenix dactylifera
English:	Date
English:	Date palm
English:	True date palm
Dutch:	Dadelpalm
Dutch:	Dadel
Spanish:	Palma datilera
Spanish:	Palmera real
Spanish:	Dátil
French:	Palmier-dattier
French:	Datte
French:	Dattier
French:	Dattier cultivé
German:	Echte Dattelpalme
German:	Dattel
German:	Dattelpalme
Italian:	Palma da datteri
Italian:	Dattero

Family:	Arecaceae
Order:	Arecales
Common names:
Origin:	Persian gulf area or possibly desert areas of north Africa.
Distribution:	Mainly in northern Africa, south and south west Asia: Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Algeria, Iraq, Sudan. Also grown but less important in Spain, Italy, Mexico and California.
Evergreen or deciduous:
Flowers:	Date palms have separate male and female plants. Only female plants produce fruits. Flowers are also edible.
Leaves:	The pinnate leaves are 3 to 5 meter long.
Fruits:	Date fruits have an elongated oval-cylindrical shape. They are 3 to 7 cm long and 2 to 3 cm in diameter. Each fruit has one seed of about 2 cm long and 6 to 8 mm in diameter. Depending on the variety, the unripe fruits have a bright red to bright yellow color. Date fruits are very sweet as they have a high sugar content of around 80%.
Climate and weather:	Dates do well in hot climates, and are often grown in oasis in desert areas.
Pollination:	Dates are wind pollinated. But in orchards they are usually hand pollinated.
Height:	Palm tree of 15 to 25 meters tall.
Crown size:	Diameter 6 to 10 meters.
Blooming period
Type of soil:
Preferred pH:
Moisture:
Light:
Growth rate:	It takes usually about 7 years before a date palm starts producing fruits.
Spacing (close range)
Spacing (wide range)
Canopy:
Propagation:	By seed. Only 50% of the seeds will produce a female tree which can produce fruits.
Insect pests:
Diseases:
Fruit development:
Harvesting:
Uses:	Date fruits are used as a staple food in the middle east. They are also used as a snack or to make date wine Not only the fruits, but also the flowers of date are edible. date palms can be tapped and the sweet sap is then used to make palm sugar or to produce alcoholic drinks. Young leaves of the date palm can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

Photos

Dates

Proverbs

Better a handful of dry dates and content therewith than to own the gate of Peacocks and be kicked in the eye by a broody camel.
Don't show me the palm tree, show me the dates.
From little date seeds, great things are born.
He has fallen from the donkey, but has found a date.
If heaven drops a date, open your mouth.
Mock the palm tree only when the date harvest is over.
Swallow a date with its stone.

Who knows more proverb or quotes about date palms? Please send me a message

Recipes

Please send me your favorite dates recipe.