DATE PALM
(Phoenix dactylifera), a tree of the palm family, widely grown in hot, arid regions for its edible fruits. In terms of economic importance, it is second only to the coconut palm in its family. North Africa and Arabia are considered the birthplace of the date palm, where it has been grown for 4,000 years. Images of this species were found on ancient Egyptian monuments. Herodotus, Theophrastus, Strabo and Pliny wrote that date palms were grown from Babylonia to the Canary Islands. The height of this tree is 12-30 m, the trunk is almost straight, “shaggy”. The apex is crowned with a rosette of pinnate leaves with leaflets up to 45 cm long. Long paniculate inflorescences emerge from the axils of the leaves, and on one tree they are only male or only female (the plant is dioecious). The fruits (dates) are oblong berries, 2-7 cm long, with a sweet, nutritious pulp surrounding a hard seed with a longitudinal groove.
An annual harvest of 45-90 kg of fruit is considered good, although not maximum, for one date palm. Trees that are 10-15 years old begin to produce it, and their exploitation can continue for another 100-200 years. In some areas of North Africa and Western Asia, dates are a staple food, and their export in dry or dried form is an important source of income. Nowadays, date palms are grown not only in their homeland. The Spaniards introduced them to the New World; commercial plantations in the United States are confined to the southwest of the country.
Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .
Synonyms:See what "DATE PALM" is in other dictionaries:
- (Greek). Family tree palm trees Africa and Arabia, delivering fruits, wine, vinegar and palm cabbage. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. DATE PALM is a tall tree with very long leaves,... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Date palm- Date palm. DATE PALM, genus of palm trees. Over 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Cultivated (since the 4th millennium BC for the sake of edible fruits (dates), especially often in the oases of the Sahara and other deserts. Many species... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (phoenix) a genus of palm trees. More than 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Cultivated (since the 4th millennium BC) for edible fruits (dates), especially often in the oases of the Sahara and other deserts. Many species are bred as ornamental... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Phoenix (Phoenix), genus of palm trees. Trunks with remains of leaf petioles, at the top a dense crown of feathery leaves. The flowers are unisexual (dioecious plants), wind-pollinated, in paniculate inflorescences. The fruit is a berry with a hard seed, edible in some species.… … Biological encyclopedic dictionary
Noun, number of synonyms: 1 phoenix (10) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary
For the term "phoenix" see other meanings. ? Date palm ... Wikipedia
Phoenix (Phoenix), a genus of tree-like dioecious plants of the palm family. The trunks are covered with the remains of leaf petioles, at the top with a dense crown of feathery leaves. The flowers are wind-pollinated, unisexual, three-membered, in paniculate inflorescences. Fruit -... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- (Phoenix L.) genus of plants from the family. palms, subfamily Coryphinae. Partly trees, partly squat bushes, with pinnately divided leaves. Plants are dioecious. The calyx is goblet-shaped, there are 3 petals, in male flowers there are 6 stamens, in female flowers there are 6 staminodes and 3... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron
- (phoenix), a genus of palm trees. Over 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Cultivated (since the 4th millennium BC) for its edible fruits (dates), especially often in the oases of the Sahara and other deserts. Many species are bred as ornamental. * *… … encyclopedic Dictionary
- (phoenix), a genus of palm trees. More than 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Cultivated (since the 4th millennium BC) for edible fruits (dates), especially often in the oases of the Sahara and other deserts. Mn. species are bred as ornamental... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary
Everyone has heard about delicious and healthy oriental dried fruits - dates. And they not only heard, but also feasted on them. They serve Muslims as candy. In markets and stores you can see a wide selection of these dried fruits, but still some are interested in where dates grow, in which countries? Let's try to trace what kind of fruit this is, what tree does it grow on?
What are dates?
Dates are the edible fruits of a tree called the date palm. People have been using them since ancient times as a highly valuable food product. You can buy them on sale in the form of dried fruits. Countries with hot climates grow different varieties of palm trees for industrial scale. When dried, they acquire a sweetish-pleasant taste. We invite you to get acquainted with this delicacy, find out what kind of fruit the date is and where it grows.
Description of date palm
So, date palm. It is a representative of trees or squat shrubs with pinnately divided leaves. Almost all species of this plant have one trunk, but there are exceptions with several. The date palm is a huge tree that catches the eye of many tourists visiting hot countries. This tree has a straight and thick trunk up to 80 cm in diameter, which can reach a height of up to 20-30 m. There are no branches on this trunk, only fifty large feathery leaves grow on the top, the length of which can reach six meters in length. Near the base of the trunk, shoots are observed, which serve as propagation material. It is important to note that the date palm is not a tree, although we call it that, but a perennial herb with a strong root system. Just like grass, it has no trunks or branches. It only has stems. Every year they dry out, they are cut off, and a new stem grows from the center again.
The date palm is a typical plant of the dry tropics. It cannot be called a weed; it grows very slowly at night, and during the day the leaves are busy with photosynthesis. The age of this plant can reach one hundred years. Today, many areas in the world are occupied by date palms; they are the oldest cultivated plant. Dates were eaten by primitive people. Then you will find out the continents where dates grow.
Flowering and pollination
Date palms live in harems because they are dioecious. Inflorescences grow from the bases of the leaves. On some palm trees they are female, on others they are male. These inflorescences are very large, panicle-like. To ensure cross-pollination of flowers, one male tree is planted for every 20-100 female trees. Paniculate inflorescences consist of small yellow flowers. The flower has a goblet-shaped cup and 3 petals. Male flowers have 6 stamens, female flowers have 3 pistils and 6 stamidoniums. Only one pistil produces fruit after dusting.
The inflorescences contain many flowers. On one palm tree you can count up to 2000 of them. Fruits develop only in female inflorescences. Today, dates of noble varieties are obtained by artificial pollination or post-pollination of female inflorescences. To do this, the male inflorescences are cut off, and the pollen from them is shaken off over the flowering female panicles. Another option for artificial pollination is possible, when the male panicle is suspended in the crown of the female inflorescences. Next, you will learn not only where dates grow on the tree, but also about their beneficial qualities.
Productivity
Date palms begin to bear fruit in the fourth year of life. Fruits from a 5-6 year old plant are used as commercial products. At this age, the palm tree produces 8-9 kg of fruit. The yield of a 15-year-old tree is 50-80 kg. Improved palm varieties can produce up to 150 kg per tree. If the palm trees are densely planted, then a harvest of 12-17 tons per hectare is possible. The average global gross harvest is 5 tons per hectare. The date palm can bear fruit abundantly for 60-80 years.
What do the fruits look like when raw? They are a berry-shaped, cylindrical drupe, with a fleshy pericarp and a cutinized skin of amber, reddish or even darker color.
Countries where dates grow
Where is the homeland of dates? In our article you can find out not only useful information about date palms, but also see their photos. Where dates grow is also interesting to many readers. Date palms originally grew in North Africa and the Middle East. More than 6 thousand years ago this culture was ennobled here. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia are leaders in date cultivation.
Many countries today are interested in planting date palms. They can be seen in Iraq, Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Tunisia. This crop is also grown in some areas of Mexico and Australia. Date palms are also found in the state of California (USA). The leader in date exports is Saudi Arabia. Large date plantations grow in Israel. They even grow along the roads there.
Date palm varieties
Over the last century, more than 1,500 varieties of date palms have been developed. Each variety has its own characteristics according to the conditions and territory of their growth, hardiness, taste, size and chemical composition of the fruit. What are the most popular varieties of dates?
Dates grow on the monastic lands of Iraq Dairy. They are distinguished by long and thin fruits with a very dark color and soft flesh. It is worth noting that only the Iraqis have learned to grow this variety.
Another popular date palm is Bahri. Its fruits are cylindrical in shape, light amber, sometimes dark brown in color when ripe. These dates have a thick consistency and rich flavor. For transportation and storage of fruits, a low temperature is provided.
There is another popular variety in Iraq - Halavi. The fruits of these palms are slightly below average in size. The peculiarity of the Halavi variety is that dates can dry out during ripening, so the plant requires a lot of moisture.
A variety of dates common in Algeria and Tunisia Deglet Nur. They are grown in oases. This variety also grows on plantations in California in the USA. Deglet Nur is a very productive variety, but does not like rain or high humidity.
The Egyptians loved the variety Hayani. These dates are not exported; they are sold fresh immediately after harvest. This date palm is very hardy and adapted to cold climates.
Arab market in Saudi Arabia and Iraq filled with dates Kadrawi, having excellent taste. Americans and Europeans are not very fond of this variety because the color is too dark. These palms are quite low growing.
The variety is prized in Libya Saidi. Its fruits are soft and sweet. Saidi date palms require exceptionally hot weather.
What variety is grown in Europe? Palm trees are common here Sayer. The orange-brown pulp of these dates is used to make syrup. Palm trees grow in the Middle East Zahidi, and Algeria - Turi.
Where do dates grow in Russia?
Many people are interested in whether dates grow in our country? Yes, indeed, we have an area where they feel comfortable. Those who have been to Sochi, on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus Mountains, could see date palms there. It is worth noting that here they do not bear fruit as abundantly as in their native tropics. The closest country near Russia where date cultivation is established is Turkmenistan.
Benefits of dates
Dates are loved by adults and children. The delicacy is not only tasty, but also healthy. If candies and ordinary sweets only destroy gums and tooth enamel, then dates strengthen them. They contain all the most important vitamins and minerals. They also contain niacin and pantothenic acid. These substances are very beneficial for the skin and hair, and benefit vision and the liver. The potassium and magnesium they contain help prevent heart disease. The dietary fiber (fiber) present in these dried fruits improves digestion. They help lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels. Dried dates contain a high concentration of antioxidants.
In another way they are also called “bread of the desert.” The great advantage of dates is that they are not treated with sulfuric acid, like other dried fruits. For example, among the Chinese there are many long-lived people whose diet includes dates. They not only increase a person’s life expectancy, but also make him hardy, strengthen the liver, kidneys, and heart. Dates stimulate the nervous system and help the body fight infections, including viral ones. These dried fruits prevent diseases such as: hypertension, anemia, breast and lung cancer. They can soothe a cough and speed up the removal of mucus.
Taste of fresh dates
Many tourists visiting restaurants in Egypt could try fresh dates there. It should be noted that they are moderately sweet and have a crispy texture. They taste slightly astringent. Muslims eat fresh dates during the month of Ramadan, when they start their meal with a handful of these fruits. The fresh date is a common fruit that is less sweet than dry.
How to choose?
To choose high-quality dried fruits, take a close look at them. They should have dry and dark wrinkled skin. Light dried fruits indicate that the fruits were not quite ripe. Excessive wrinkling indicates that the product is over-dried. Look carefully to see if there are any foreign formations, mold, or plaque on the skin. It is worth noting that dates can be of different varieties.
Finca palm at home
It is not difficult to grow a decorative date palm from a seed in a pot. Naturally, such a tree will not produce fruit, because pollination requires two trees of different sexes. Housewives use such palms as indoor plants with feathery, beautifully curved leaves. Once you stick the fruit seed into the soil and water it, shoots will appear in 2-3 months. Leaves in such a date palm may appear after three or even five years. First, a kind of arrow appears from the trunk, which gradually turns into a leaf. The decorative qualities of such a plant are worth all your efforts.
Africa and Asia are home to most of the plants that delight us at home, in offices and greenhouses. The date palm was no exception.
Date palm, or Date ( Phoenix) belongs to the arecaceae (palm) family and is undoubtedly the “queen of oases”: it shares food and shelter with people and animals, and also protects water bodies from drying out. Of the 17 known species of date palms, 3 types have proven themselves to be excellent in Russian indoor floriculture and are often used:
- Robelena date has a beautiful dense crown, reaches up to 1.5-2 meters in height, and is relatively shade-tolerant.
- Date Canary with feathery trunks, rigid straight and narrow leaves, it has a maximum height of 2 meters.
- palmate date or ordinary is distinguished by the most common form of palm tree, not very beautiful, but growing quickly. The trunk of the palm tree gradually becomes bare as it grows, which is a significant drawback of this plant. The fruits of this type of palm are the familiar sweet, tasty and nutritious dates.
All types of date palms have long leaves with narrow feathers, are decorative, hardy and completely undemanding to living conditions. Since the beginning of the 19th century, palm trees began to be grown in greenhouses and also as indoor plants. Among all types of palm trees, the date palm is the hardiest and most pest-resistant.
Currently, flower shops offer a large selection of different types of palm trees, but the date palm tree is most preferred by many gardeners: the exotic plant will fit perfectly into any interior. The date palm is easy to grow from the seeds of regular dates, which is why it is sometimes called a “fun plant.” However, it is difficult to agree with the nickname “fun”: any plant needs attention and care.
Growing and caring for date palms
If desired, it is possible to grow a date palm from seeds. Before planting, the seed is first placed in water for several days to swell, changing the water periodically. It happens that the emergence of seedlings from the seeds is “inhibited” if the dates have been stored for a long time. To speed up the germination of date seeds, you can scald them with boiling water.
The flower pot is filled with a mixture of peat (sawdust) and sand, the seed is planted vertically in the ground, covered with glass (and, if available, wet moss) on top. The optimal temperature for germination is 25-30°C. Palm tree shoots will appear in about 1.5 - 2 months.
The first five years the plant is very modest; the decorative value of the date tree will appear only after 5-7 years. It is curious, but true: from the same seeds a date palm of different shapes can grow: both a small fluffy tree and a tall slender one. It is impossible to trim (break off) the top of the plant stem; such a procedure is fraught with the death of the palm tree.
In order for our home, office, or greenhouse to be decorated with a beautiful date palm, we must adhere to a number of important points when caring for it.
Lighting for date palm
The plant prefers bright sunlight; it is shaded only during the hottest hours. To ensure uniform formation of leaves, the date palm must be turned towards the light so that the top of the leaf is directed towards the interior of the room.
Date temperature
During the palm growth period - spring and summer - a moderate temperature (20-25°C) is recommended. In autumn and winter, the optimal temperature for many palm species is 15-18°C, and some species overwinter normally at 8-10°C. The plant has a negative attitude towards drafts. The roots of date palms are also sensitive to cold: flower pots with the plant are not recommended to be placed on marble floors or a cold window sill.
Watering and fertilizing date palm
In the summer season, abundant watering is preferable for the date palm; complete drying out of the soil is not acceptable. As a result of the drying out of the earthen coma, the date leaves may droop; in the future they will not restore their previous position. In addition, drying out of the earthen coma can cause yellowing of the leaves. When overmoistened (especially in combination with cold air), brown spots may appear on the leaves of the date palm. In winter, watering is significantly reduced - it directly depends on the air temperature in the room.
To water the date palm, use warm, soft water without chlorine at a temperature of about 20°C. Water mineralized with calcium (also called hard water) has a bad effect on palm trees, so it is better to avoid watering the plant with such water. A prerequisite for good plant growth is good drainage; it does not allow water to stagnate at the roots. Since the palm tree requires moist air, daily spraying of the leaves is recommended, and a real shower weekly. During the procedure of showering the plant, the earthen lump in the pot must be carefully covered with film. To give the palm a well-groomed appearance, the leaves of the plant are periodically wiped with damp sponges.
Canary date (Phoenix canariensis). © PalmenLager Fertilizers are applied in diluted form and always in moist soil. For feeding, complex preparations are used for palm trees or for decorative foliage indoor plants. In spring and summer, palm trees are fertilized 2 times a month, in winter - 1 time a month.
Replanting and transshipment of date palms
The date palm does not tolerate replanting well, so in the spring the plant is transferred: a young palm tree (up to 4-5 years old) is transferred to another flower pot annually, and an adult palm tree – after 2-3 years. Every six months, it is advisable to remove the top layer of soil and fill the free space with fresh soil.
Replanting is required only when the roots are cramped in the flower pot and can already be seen through the drainage holes. Each palm transfer is carried out into a flower pot with a diameter 3-4 cm larger than the previous one. It is advisable to use a tall, rather than wide, flower pot for a date palm: the long roots of the plant will fit here. When transshipment, the plant is carefully rolled into a new flower pot, and the voids are filled with new soil.
For good growth, the date palm requires a soil mixture prepared in the following ratio: 2 parts light clay-turf soil, 2 parts humus-leaf soil, 1 part peat soil, 1 part rotted manure, 1 part sand and a little charcoal. If it is not possible to prepare the necessary components for the soil mixture, then for transshipment of palm trees you can purchase ready-made soil mixtures in the store (specialized “For palm trees” or universal for indoor plants).
Loose, soft soil that allows air and moisture to pass through will provide good nutrition to the roots of the plant. To prevent water stagnation, a good drainage layer is formed at the bottom of the flower pot.
Date palm diseases
This exotic plant gets sick mainly due to poor care.
Waterlogged soil is indicated by a change in the color of the palm leaves: they become dark, almost brown, and the trunk becomes soft and has a putrid odor. If these signs are detected, watering stops and the soil must be dried. It is necessary to remove the palm tree from the flower pot and check its root system. The plant cannot be saved if the roots have become dark, soft and watery (they have already died). If intact (living) roots are preserved among the dead, they are carefully separated from the dead and the cut areas are sprinkled with crushed coal.
As a result of insufficient watering of the palm tree, dry air, winter drafts and sudden temperature changes, the tips of the plant's leaves may turn brown. But the brown leaves growing below the plant are safe - these are age-related changes in the palm tree. The darkened leaves of the date palm have died, so they are removed. If there is insufficient watering, the leaves of the plant droop down, and they can only be raised by tying them to a support. Watering a palm tree with hard water or lack of moisture or nutrients can cause the plant to turn yellow.
Date Canary in natural conditions. © Meneerke bloem A pale appearance of a date palm indicates too much light or red spider mite infestation. A little shading of the plant protects it from excessively bright sunlight.
It happens that the date palm dries out; leaves darken, curl and fall off; Brown plaques appear on the surface of the leaves. Such signs indicate that the palm tree is dying from pests. Pest control (scale insects, mealybugs or spider mites) is standard for all indoor plants: the leaves must be washed with a solution of laundry soap and sprayed with garlic extract. For more severe damage to the plant, use Actellik solution in a ratio of 1-2 ml per liter of water.
In ancient times, the palm leaf was considered a symbol of triumph and victory. Nowadays, the presence of a date palm at home indicates that the amateur gardener has become a winner, turning his home into a small, cozy oasis.
Growing exotic plants at home is the dream of many gardening enthusiasts, which is quite feasible and you will definitely be able to make it come true!
How dates grow is often of interest to lovers of dried fruits, who only see them in cooked form. Dates grow on a palm tree, collected in clusters. If you wish, you can plant a dried fruit seed yourself and grow a small palm tree. Of course, it will not bear fruit, but it will retain its exotic, attractive appearance and will delight the owner for a long time.
The historical homeland of culture is the Middle East, North Africa, and the Canary Islands. Today the plant is cultivated in different countries with hot climates. The leader in date cultivation is Saudi Arabia.
In Russia, date palms are grown on the Black Sea coast. However, they do not produce high-quality fruits, so they can only be considered as ornamental plants and not fruit-bearing ones.
Date palms, under normal growing conditions, bear fruit for up to 80 years. The fruits are collected in large clusters. The most productive varieties of the crop allow you to get up to 150 kg of dates from one tree.
Growing at home
If you want to have a date palm at home, you don’t have to buy a plant. It is enough to simply grow a date from a seed obtained from a dried fruit. In order for a houseplant to be healthy and have a beautiful appearance, we must remember the basic rules of agricultural technology. Violating them for an adult plant is undesirable, but not very dangerous, but young dates die very quickly if not properly cared for.
How to germinate a date seed?
The seed must be germinated correctly, and it is not enough to simply place it in the ground and wait for germination. The seed is suitable for planting only if the dried fruit has not undergone heat treatment.
- It is best to plant the plant in winter - during this period, under natural conditions, date palms begin active vegetation, since it is summer at this time in the Southern Hemisphere.
- The bone needs to be soaked in warm water for 2-3 days. To do this, place the dishes with it in a warm place (possibly near a radiator). The water should be changed every day. You can also soak the bone in well-soaked cotton wool, but this is less effective.
After finishing soaking, 3-4 punctures are made on the bone and again placed in water for 4 days. This will stimulate germination. As soon as the seed swells, you can plant it.
Soil requirement
You need to prepare the soil for the palm tree yourself.
For it, mix in equal quantities:
- sawdust;
- peat;
- sand.
There is no need to apply fertilizers.
Landing rules
The seed is not buried deeply - no more than 5 cm. It is better to sprinkle it with peat rather than soil. This will provide the most comfortable conditions for germination. Plant the seed in a pre-moistened substrate. After planting, watering is not carried out until the soil dries out. Germination occurs better if greenhouse conditions are created, for which the pot should be covered with a transparent plastic bag. It should be removed for ventilation for 5-10 minutes at least once a day.
Transplanting a plant
The date palm is replanted as it develops and outgrows the pot. The substrate needed for transplantation is the same as for planting. It is also necessary to replant the plant if several seeds were initially grown in one container. In this case, the transplant is carried out at the moment when a strong leaf 4 cm long has formed on the sprout.
- Since the roots of the palm tree are long, a deep pot will be required. Its width is not important. A drainage layer of broken brick or expanded clay must be made at the bottom.
- Transplantation is carried out using the transshipment method, which reduces the risk of damage to the root system. If rotting roots are found at the time of transplantation, they are cut off.
Frequent transplants have a negative impact on the date palm, and therefore the container for it is taken with a reserve. The maximum frequency of tree replanting is once a year.
How to care for a palm tree at home?
Despite the fact that the date palm is particularly unpretentious, it needs proper care. In nature, plants are much stronger than those grown in a pot and can withstand adverse conditions without damage. Domestic specimens have lost such resistance.
- After germination, the plant requires abundant watering with warm water. However, it is important to ensure that the water does not stagnate, as this will cause spoilage. Water for irrigation is left to stand for 2-3 days at room temperature. If possible, use rain or melt liquid. Daily spraying is required.
- In winter, the date palm requires a decrease in temperature to 15-18 degrees, which will provide it with a period of rest according to the biological cycle of the growth strip, and not of natural nature.
- The plant needs high-quality lighting for 10 hours a day, but it is important that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. They will lead to burns and her possible death.
- Fertilizing is carried out during the growing season once a month, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers. In winter, the palm tree is not fed.
- To maintain a beautiful appearance, wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
Possible problems during cultivation
The main problems that may arise when growing date palms at home are attacks by pests: scale insects, thrips. In such a situation, special preparations for protecting indoor plants help.
Another problem that a gardener may encounter is waterlogging of the soil and rotting of the plant. The palm tree in such a situation emits an intense smell of rot. If the plant has living roots, it can be saved by stopping watering until the soil dries completely.
The fact that the palm tree is not receiving enough moisture is indicated by the darkening ends of the leaves. This is the easiest way to fix this problem.
If you have space in your apartment and desire, you can easily grow an exotic beauty from a seed. A date palm tree in a pot looks elegant and can become an interesting green decoration for your home. Knowing what dates grow on, you can immediately decide whether you need a palm tree at home or not.
The history of the date palm is inextricably linked with the Arabian Peninsula, ancient Mesopotamia and North Africa. And the beginning of this story is lost in the darkness of centuries, even millennia... They say that local residents prepare wonderful drinks from the juice obtained from the palm trunk. I don’t know, I don’t know - this, as they say, is not for everyone. But the dates themselves - that is, the fruits of the date palm, you must admit, taste incomparable. And how useful too!
Date fruit, more correctly - date palm(Phoenix dactylifera L.), Palm family (Arecaceae, Palmae) is one of twelve representatives of the genus Phoenix, which contains exclusively dioecious plants. It usually has one straight slender trunk up to 20-30 m high and up to 80 cm in diameter, feathery leaves up to six meters long, in quantities from 40 to 80 on an adult plant. At the base of the trunk shoots often develop, used for vegetative propagation.
Numerous flowers (sometimes their number on one palm tree reaches two thousand) are collected in complex inflorescences, surrounded by a veil. The fruit (up to 7 cm long and 3 cm in diameter) is a berry-shaped cylindrical drupe with a fleshy pericarp and cutinized skin that has an amber, reddish or darker color.
The wood is used as a building material, the leaves are used for weaving various products and covering roofs. The date palm is unknown in its wild state; its ancestor is considered to be the forest date (Phoenix silvestris Roxb.) from Eastern India; Another hypothesis is less likely - the origin of the date palm from the African species Phoenix reclinata Jacq.
The date palm is remarkable for its high heat tolerance and salt tolerance. And at the same time, the following condition is extremely important for its successful growth: shallow groundwater. If this condition is “observed” by nature: in a number of areas of the hot deserts of Africa and Asia, oases arise where the date palm is the main (dominant) plant that can tolerate prolonged heat.
As a result of the shading it creates, on land scorched by the scorching rays of the sun, it becomes possible to grow cereals (which, of course, love the sun - but to certain limits), vegetables, olives, grapes... Thus, a center of a kind of oasis agriculture arises - a date palm and a person, one might say , have long walked hand in hand in these desert southern latitudes. The life of the peoples inhabiting the deserts from the Indus in the east, through the Arabian Desert and the Sahara to the Atlantic Ocean, in the past was entirely (and even today to a large extent) connected with this palm tree.
The date palm is a typical plant of dry subtropics (it’s hard to call it a weed - and its growth is not that fast), producing edible, tasty fruits. The date palm can be up to a hundred years old. Its growth, by the way, occurs exclusively at night - the working day of the palm tree is entirely occupied by photosynthesis.
In the last century, the date palm was grown in the southwestern part of Turkmenistan (Kzyl-Atrek). Its homeland, apparently, is Southern Iran, the southern regions of ancient Mesopotamia. And the emergence of the culture of this wonderful plant is associated with the ancient inhabitants of this Asian region - the Assyrians, Babylonians, ancient Sumerians (Sumerians), whose states succeeded each other over the past five millennia...
From Mesopotamia, the date palm penetrated into Arabia and Egypt, long before the onset of the Christian era. Naturally, over thousands of years, many (about 5000) varieties have emerged, divided into three main groups - “dry”, “semi-dry” (which resembles Soviet champagne, but only in name) and “soft”.
“Soft” are consumed locally fresh, in a ripe state; the fruits of these varieties contain little sugar. “Dry” dates, dried in the sun, contain much more sugar and can be stored for a very long time, one might say, for years. As for the “semi-dry” ones, these are intended for export; they are also dried in the sun. After which they are packed into boxes and sent “to the distant northern countries,” that is, to you and me.
Everyone knows that dried dates taste good. But taste is taste, and nutritional value is no less important, and with this, you agree, dates are in perfect order: ready-to-eat fruits contain from 60 to 70% sugar, about 2% fatty oil and almost 3% protein, which This sum makes the date palm the most important cultivated plant in many regions. And dates, accordingly, are the most important food product in a number of countries (especially hot countries, most of whose territory is deserts and semi-deserts), constituting the main diet of the population of oases - both people and animals.
Among other things, local residents make full use of other parts of the palm tree, not just dates: from the fiber of leaf petioles, mixing plant raw materials with animals (camel hair), they still make clothes (or, more precisely, fabrics for clothing), caravan tents , tents; the fiber obtained from the leaves is also used to make baskets, ropes, and ship rigging (and the ships of Arab traders, as is known, plied the oceans long before Europeans entered the Indian Ocean). Naturally, date palm wood was also used - primarily as an affordable building material.
Today, huge areas are occupied by the date palm (the main part of which, of course, is in North Africa) - about half a million hectares! In the territories where ancient Mesopotamia existed, that is, in modern Iraq, there are about twenty million of these plants! By the way, almost the entire harvest of Iraqi dates was previously exported and was considered almost as important a source of state income as the notorious “black gold” - oil.
In the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, in a very limited area (less than 900 hectares), the date palm has been cultivated since the rule of the Saracen Arabs. Here is the only place in Europe where it bears fruit; in other southern European regions, date palms growing outdoors practically do not bear fruit, performing only a decorative function: in Italy and other countries of southern Europe they are grown for beauty.
But the date palm bears fruit well in Arizona and California, the hottest states where it was brought in the eighteenth century, and where since 1890 it has received, so to speak, industrial significance and official recognition.
The fruits of the date palm are a good general tonic, and are useful not only for convalescent patients (you just need to remember that dates are contraindicated for diabetes!), along with other high-calorie products, but, of course, they are almost irreplaceable on long expeditions, when the weight of the carried cargo is limited, and the heat does not make it possible to take perishable foods with you.
And one last thing. From the forest date, or “wild nut” (the supposed ancient ancestor of the date palm), in the Indian state of Madras, a sweet juice is obtained, which yields sugar when boiled; By fermenting the juice, Indians enjoy an alcoholic drink locally called arak. The juice is extracted by making cuts (1 cm deep and 6-7 cm wide) in the upper part of the trunk; At the same time, the crown is thinned out and some of the leaves are removed. But this simple technique is unlikely to be useful to you and me!