Botanical Name: Phoenix dactylifera
Common Name: Date palm
Type of Plant: monocot: treelike
Character evergreen
 
Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape a clumping feather palm (often grown as single-trunk form), with upright slender stalks and stiff fronds forming a distinctive cluster if suckers not removed; not self-cleaning
Height 25'-40' (80')
Spread 1/4 - 1/3
Growth Rate moderate
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoors thrives in full sun - hot inland habitats; tolerates light shade
Soil prefers fast-draining locales; tolerates clay if not over-watered
Hardiness some frost (zones 9, 11, 12-24): best in hot desert sites
 
Morphology:
Leaves long stiff feather-shaped fronds, gray-green, with basal pinnae reduced to narrow spine-like structures; to 10'-12' long; fronds mostly straight rather than recurved
Flowers plants dioecious; flowers small, yellowish, on rather short intricate panicles; summer
Fruit the classic 'date' (drupe); shape and color varies with variety
 
Propagation:
seed or division of a clump
 
Usage:
in low desert areas, is widely used as a large-scale vertical accent in tropical/desert themes for its dramatic silhouette and gray-green leaves; is faster growing & more slender than the related P. canariensis
 
Landscape Care:
Watering prefers regular if grown on sandy soils in warm areas; tolerates considerable drought
Fertilizing little required as an ornamental; use balanced for promoting fruit production
Pruning remove old fronds; remove basal suckers if a single trunk form is desired
Pests/Diseases relatively free; crown rot in poorly-drained sites
Special Conditions/Other
 
Origin: Egypt, Arabian Peninsula
Family: Arecaceae

Notes:
 
PDF
Your pictures go here