Phoenix dactylifera

Date Palm, Edible Date
Size
ex 3L pot
Availability: Sold Out
£8.99
Quick Overview
  • Quick growing palm
  • Hardy if kept dry in winter
  • Feather fronds
  • Protect in winter, particularly when young
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Native to North Africa and the Middle East, Phoenix dactylifera, the edible date palm, is fast growing but needs plenty of extra protection in the cold wet winter months. Not considered as hardy as its cousins, P. theophrastii or P. canariensis, Phoenix dactylifera is best grown by dedicated and adventurous exotic gardeners with a very advantageous Southern position and sheltered microclimate. The key for growing the date palm in cooler climates - apart from having a fortuitous geographical location - is good drainage. Lots of rubble and grit in the substrate. An elevated position on a slope or the side of a hill is ideal. Covering the ground around it in the winter with well-anchored plastic sheets to keep its roots on the dry side is a good option if you have the space. It is not so much the cold that it doesn't like, it's having its toes too damp in wet soggy ground. Remember in the wild, Phoenix dactylifera has extremes of hot during the day/summer and cold during the night/winter. Although it loves to be well watered during the summer months it needs to be kept dry during the winter. Obviously the warmer it is and the more sun it gets, the happier it will be. If you live in Southern Europe you should have fewer challenges. Like most palms it should be nursed overwinter through its first years in a glasshouse, conservatory or indoors in a well-lit spot until it is hardy enough and large enough to transplant outside.


Additional Information

Order Arecales
Family Arecaceae
Sub-Family Coryphoideae
Geographical Origin It has been in horticultural cultivation for thousands of years but probably originated in the Arabian Peninsula
Cultivation Warmth. Full sun. Water and feed well during the summer, keep dryish during the winter. Challenging in the UK.
Eventual Height 10 m but unlikely in the UK
Eventual Spread 5 m
Hardiness Not fully hardy in the UK. Needs TLC. One for the enthusiast.
Phoenix dactylifera
Date Palm, Edible Date
Size
ex 3L pot
Availability: Sold Out
£8.99
You could receive 20 Palm Points for writing a review for this product.
Add to My Wishlist Add to Compare Email to a Friend
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