Date Palm

Date Palm Description

Although there are many palms that we call "date palms" (i.e. pygmy date palm, Canary Island date palm, etc.) Phoenix dactylifera is the true date palm from which the tasty fruit is obtained. The date palm is a suckering palm that is usually pruned to have only one trunk. Trimmed in this manner the Date Palm will grow to heights of 100 feet. Leaflets near the base are modified into 3-4 inch spines.
Usually the trunk of the date palm is topped by a single crown comprising the fronds, the terminal bud, and the date clusters. All these elements are tightly interlaced at the base of the crown, which is protected by layers of tough, intertwined brown fibers. Cutting off the terminal bud will kill the date palm even if the whole tree is not cut down. Each frond, measuring up to 4-5 m in length, has three parts: the spatulate base, attached to the trunk; the strong, spiny stalk and midrib, 1-2 m long; and the pinnate section, or leaflets, about 40 cm long.

The yellow-orange to red fruit, called 'dates';, are oblong and about 1.5 inches in length. They consist of a large pointed seed surrounded by sweet sugary flesh. Dates are formed from flowers on 4 foot inflorescences that emerge from among the leaves in Crown and terminal bud. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Only female plants produce dates and only if a male tree is nearby. Dates are not formed in climates that are too cool.

Date Palm Tree Usage

The Date palm is spectacular for landscaping large areas. In recent years many commercial date farms in the western U.S. have closed due to a number of economic pressures. As a result large specimens are available at very competitive prices, even when shipped to Florida. As I write this a half dozen date palms were installed at the entrance to a new building in our office complex - in my opinion complementing the modernistic architecture of these structures beautifully. Date Palm Tree are also frequently seen guarding the entrances to upscale housing developments and standing in regiments along boulevards.