"A genus of palms, the most important species of which is the common Date Palm, the Palm Tree of Scripture, a native of the northern half of Aftica, the south-west of Asia, and some parts of India, and which has also been brought into cultivation in the south of Europe, and might certainly be intruduced with advantage into the south of the United States, and many warm parts of America and Australia." — Chambers' Encyclopedia, 1875

Date Palm

"A genus of palms, the most important species of which is the common Date Palm, the Palm Tree of Scripture,…

An illustration of a portion of a date palm leaf. The Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. Due to its long history of cultivation for fruit, its exact native distribution is unknown, but probably originated somewhere in the desert oases of northern Africa, and perhaps also southwest Asia. It is a medium-sized tree, 15–25 m tall, often clumped with several trunks from a single root system, but often growing singly as well. The leaves are pinnate, 3–5 m long, with spines on the petiole and about 150 leaflets; the leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm broad. The full span of the crown ranges from 6–10 m.

Date Palm Leaf

An illustration of a portion of a date palm leaf. The Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the…

Illustrated is a deglet noor date palm that is about eight years old with offshoots and ripe fruit.

Deglet Noor Date Palm

Illustrated is a deglet noor date palm that is about eight years old with offshoots and ripe fruit.

"There are date trees on the edge of the city." —Carpenter, 1902

Date tree

"There are date trees on the edge of the city." —Carpenter, 1902

Pictured is the American seedling date.

American Seedling Date

Pictured is the American seedling date.

Illustrated are fruit clusters of date grown in Arizona.

Fruit Clusters of Date

Illustrated are fruit clusters of date grown in Arizona.

An illustration of the fruit of a date palm, a date.  The fruit is a drupe known as a date. They are oval-cylindrical, 3–7 cm long, and 2–3 cm diameter, and when unripe, range from bright red to bright yellow in colour, depending on variety. Dates contain a single seed about 2–2.5 cm long and 6–8 mm thick. Three main cultivar groups of date exist; soft (e.g. 'Barhee', 'Halawy', 'Khadrawy', 'Medjool'), semi-dry (e.g. 'Dayri', 'Deglet Noor', 'Zahidi'), and dry (e.g. 'Thoory'). The type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose and sucrose content.

Dates

An illustration of the fruit of a date palm, a date. The fruit is a drupe known as a date. They are…

Also known as Phoenix Dactylifera. The date palm tree is one of the oldest fruit trees in the world. Dates held a very important role in certain desert regions as the staple food crop.

Date Palm of the Lower Euphrates

Also known as Phoenix Dactylifera. The date palm tree is one of the oldest fruit trees in the world.…

"Date Palm is a genus of palms, the most important species of which is the common date palm, the palm tree of Scripture, a native of the N. half of Africa, the S. W. of Asia, and some parts of India, and of which the cultivation is no less wide, and still extending. Some parts of China produce large crops. The stem, which is straight and simple, reaches a height of 30 to 60 feet, and bears a head of 40 to 80 glaucous pinnated leaves, 8 to 10 feet long, and a number of branching spadices, each of which on the female tree bears 180 to 200 fruits. A bunch of dates weighs 20 or 25 pounds, so that an average year's crop may be reckoned at 300 to 600 pounds per tree, and the yield per acre at about 12 times that of corn. This is one of the most important and useful of all the palms. In Egypt, and generally in North Africa, Persia, and Arabia, dates form the principal food, and date palms the principal wealth of the people."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Date Palm

"Date Palm is a genus of palms, the most important species of which is the common date palm, the palm…

The Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. Due to its long history of cultivation for fruit, its exact native distribution is unknown, but probably originated somewhere in the desert oases of northern Africa, and perhaps also southwest Asia. It is a medium-sized tree, 15–25 m tall, often clumped with several trunks from a single root system, but often growing singly as well. The leaves are pinnate, 3–5 m long, with spines on the petiole and about 150 leaflets; the leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm broad. The full span of the crown ranges from 6–10 m.

Date Palms

The Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, extensively cultivated for its edible…

"The date is the fruit of a tall and graceful palm which shoots up a single straight stem to height of fifty or sixty feet, and then expands into a beautiful crown of leaves.

Date Tree

"The date is the fruit of a tall and graceful palm which shoots up a single straight stem to height…

George Washington meeting with the charming widow of Daniel Parke Custis, Mrs. Martha Dandridge Custis. Mrs. Custis was later re-married to George Washington.

Colonel Washington and Mrs. Custis

George Washington meeting with the charming widow of Daniel Parke Custis, Mrs. Martha Dandridge Custis.…

Illustrated is a young date palm with growing suckers or offshoots. It is native to North Africa and the Middle East.

Young Date Palm

Illustrated is a young date palm with growing suckers or offshoots. It is native to North Africa and…