How to create a tropical getaway at home? Features of caring for a date palm at home

What are dates?

Dates are the edible fruits of the date palm tree. They have been used by people for a long time as a highly valuable food product. On sale, you can purchase them in the form of dried fruits. Countries with hot climates grow different varieties of palm trees for industrial scale. In dried form, they acquire a sweetish-pleasant taste. We offer you to get acquainted with this delicacy, find out what kind of fruit is a date, where it grows.

Testimonials

Do not fool around with the seeds, they germinate themselves perfectly. Shove the bone vertically into the ground and water it occasionally. It sprouts for a long time, it is better to push in the fall and wait for growth in the spring. It grows slowly until it looks like a palm tree really wait 10 years. Loves the sun, heavy soils and deep pots, this is important! Afraid of the tick. I do not specifically recommend growing it - for a long time, but as fun I stuck a seed in a lot of fun and you see what comes of it

I sowed dates too. They sprout from dried ones twice as fast as from fresh ones.

My date palm is 1.5 years old and already has three feathery leaves. It's all about the lighting. This palm tree really loves sunlight.

The soil must be moist. The date will not tolerate drying out of the soil. If it dries up, then forever.

For residents of regions with a temperate climate, dates were and remain only an outlandish overseas delicacy and an exotic houseplant. Fruiting of date palms is achievable only in hot countries with subtropical and tropical climates, where they are one of the most important crops.

Date palm description

So, the date palm. She is a representative of trees or squat shrubs with feathery-split 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 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, there is a growth that serves as a material for reproduction. It is important to note that the date palm is not a tree, although we call it that, but a perennial herb with a powerful root system. Just like grass, it has no trunks or branches. She only has stems. Every year they dry up, they are cut off, and a new stem grows from the center again.

The date palm is a typical plant in 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. This plant can be up to a hundred years old. Today in the world, date palms occupy many areas; this is the oldest cultivated plant. Dates were still eaten by primitive people. Further you will find out the continents where dates grow.

Diseases and pests attacking dates

A well-tended palm tree does not often get sick. Here is a short list of diseases that date dates are susceptible to and how to treat them.

In addition, the date palm can become an object of attack by pests:

• The spider mite makes the leaves turn yellow, dry and curl, braids with a thin cobweb.
• The mealybug sucks the juice out of the leaves, leaving a white, fluffy bloom.
• Thrips contaminates and dehydrates, resulting in discolored spots.
• The scabbard sticks to the integument of the plant, drawing out the juice. It can be distinguished by its brown bumps.
• Nematodes are worms that live inside leaves and cause them to thicken, deform and die off. They are difficult to hatch and spread quickly, so if they are found, the plant should be destroyed as soon as possible along with the pot.

Curved
Most insects can be removed in the following folk ways:

• Garlic infusion: 4 heads of garlic are dipped into 1 liter of water and kept for 5 days. The resulting extract is diluted with water and used to spray foliage.
• Tobacco infusion: put 40 grams of tobacco in 1 liter of water, insist for 2 days. Then add another liter of water and spray the plant.
• Soap-vodka solution: 15 g of liquid soap and a couple of tablespoons of vodka are diluted in 1 liter of water. Use once a week to wipe leaves.

If the listed methods are ineffective, it is necessary to treat the plant with agrochemical preparations, guided by the instructions.

It is recommended that you first try the remedy on one leaf of the plant in order to detect a reaction.

Before processing, the soil must be covered with a film to protect it from the ingress of foreign substances that can harm the composition of the soil.

Flowering and pollination

Date palms live in harems because they are dioecious. Inflorescences grow from the bases of the leaves. On some palms they are female, on others they are male. These inflorescences are very large, like a panicle. To ensure cross-pollination of flowers, one male is planted on 20-100 female trees. Paniculate inflorescences consist of small yellow flowers. The flower has a cup-shaped calyx, 3 petals. Male flowers have 6 stamens, female flowers have 3 pistils and 6 stamidonia. Only one pistil gives fruit after dusting.

The inflorescences contain many flowers. On one palm tree, you can count up to 2000 pieces. Fruits develop only in female inflorescences. Today, dates of noble varieties are obtained by artificial pollination or additional 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 a male panicle is suspended in the crown of female inflorescences. Further, you will learn not only where the dates grow on the tree, but also about their useful qualities.

Transfer

A young date palm grows quickly and should be replanted at least once a year. For adult plants (over 5 years old), this procedure is required once every 3-5 years.

It is advisable to transplant in the spring. It is strongly not recommended to choose autumn for this - the palm tree may die.

It is difficult to adapt to a new place, so it should be transplanted in accordance with the step-by-step instructions:

1. The new pot should be much deeper than the old one, because the roots of the palm tree grow deeper than in breadth. Good drainage holes are essential.
2. Lay drainage at the bottom of the pot - for example, expanded clay.
3. The soil can be used ready-made in the store or you can independently mix turf soil, sand and humus in equal proportions, be sure to add 1 tablespoon of superphosphate fertilizers per 3 liters of earth.
4. In no case should the earthen lump around the roots be damaged. Only the top layer of the old earth needs to be cleaned off. If the pot does not allow the palm to be removed along with the soil, it should be smashed or cut open.
5. The stem of the plant does not need to be buried in a new pot. The ground level should remain the same as in the old location.

Yield

Date palms begin to bear fruit in the fourth year of life. Fruits from a 5-6 year old plant are used as marketable 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 yield up to 150 kg per tree. If the palms are densely planted, then a harvest of 12-17 tons per hectare is possible. The average world gross harvest is indicated as 5 tons per hectare. The date palm can bear fruit abundantly for 60-80 years.

What do the fruits look like raw? They are a berry-shaped cylindrical drupe with a fleshy pericarp and cutinized skin of amber, reddish or even darker color.

Outdoor cultivation of date palms in the countries of the former USSR

In Soviet times, numerous experiments were carried out to acclimatize date palms on the territory of the USSR. However, it was possible to achieve successful growth and fruiting of a real date palm (palm date) only in the dry subtropics of southern Turkmenistan. All the numerous dates that are sold in abundance in the bazaars of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are imported goods brought from more southern countries. In the Black Sea subtropics, the palmate grows poorly and quickly dies due to excessive dampness.

Canarian date is often grown as an ornamental plant on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus

More resistant to high air and soil humidity, the Canary date is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant throughout the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus in Russia (Krasnodar Territory), Abkhazia and Georgia. Individual specimens of the Canary date are also found on the southern coast of Crimea and in Azerbaijan (Baku, Lankaran).

In the collections of botanical gardens of the subtropical zone of the Krasnodar Territory of Russia, there are also single specimens of forest dates and dates of the rejected, but these species have not received mass distribution.

Date palms should be planted in areas well-lit by the sun, protected from cold winds. The soil should be well-drained, without stagnant water. The Canary date grows best in soils with a high lime content.

Young date palm plants are less frost resistant than adults

Young plants of date palms often freeze out even during short-term frosts down to -8 ..- 9 ° C, so they usually have to be insulated for the winter using reed mats or breathable agrofibre. In winter shelter, it is especially important to protect the apical growth point at the base of young leaves from frost. With significant damage to the growth point, the palm tree almost inevitably dies. Mature palms are generally more hardy, but at -10 ..- 12 ° C they are severely damaged and may die.

In the conditions of Ukraine, any types of date palms in the open field are very short-lived, even with a winter shelter.

Countries where dates grow

Where is the birthplace of dates? In our article you can find out not only useful information about date palms, but also see their photos. Where the 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 the cultivation of dates.

Many countries today are interested in planting date palms. They can be seen in Iraq, Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Tunisia. In some areas of Mexico, Australia, this crop is also grown. Date palms are also found in the state of California (USA). The leader in the export of dates is Saudi Arabia. Large plantations of dates grow in Israel. They even grow there along the roads.

Other types of date palms, their distribution in the wild and in culture

In addition to the most widely known finger date, there are several other related species of date palms. All of them have large feathery leaves, reaching several meters in length, and are dioecious plants (male and female flowers develop on different specimens).

Types of date palms and regions of their growth in the wild (table)

Finger dates

Finger dates (real date palm, common date palm) usually grows 10-15 meters high, sometimes up to 25-30 meters. At the base of the trunks of adult palms, numerous offspring are formed, which are used for reproduction. It is believed that the real date palm has not survived in the wild, and all of its numerous specimens, found in abundance in the deserts and semi-deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, are feral descendants of cultivated plants and grow on the site of abandoned ancient oases.

At the base of the trunks of common date palms, numerous offspring are formed

Finger dates are very photophilous, they perfectly tolerate high temperatures, strong winds and dust storms that often occur in deserts. Soil salinity tolerates relatively easily. This palm tree can grow on clean sand and is very drought-resistant, but only if its roots reach deep underground waters, otherwise it needs regular irrigation. In a dry climate of deserts and semi-deserts, the palm date easily withstands short-term frosts down to -15 ° C, but in a more humid climate it dies already at -9 ° C.

The real date palm is one of the very few plants that can grow in desert conditions.

Date of Theophrastus

Date Theophrastus (Cretan date palm) grows up to 15 meters in height. In nature, this palm tree is found in southern Greece, Crete and several neighboring islands, on the nearby coast of Turkey. It is the only type of date palm that grows wild in Europe. The size of the fruits of the Cretan date does not exceed 1.5 centimeters in length and 1 centimeter in diameter, they have a fibrous pulp with a mediocre taste, but sometimes they are still used as food by the local population. This palm forms a lot of root growth. The Cretan date can withstand short-term drops in temperature down to -11 ° C.

Date of Theophrastus is the only wild date palm in Europe

Canary date

The Canary date (Canary date palm) usually grows 10–20 meters high, but in exceptional cases it can reach 40 meters in height. This palm tree is endemic to the Canary Islands and is not found anywhere else in the wild.It is widely grown as an ornamental plant in open ground in Southern Europe, Western Asia, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, North and South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, in the subtropics of North and South America. In countries of temperate climates, it is very popular as an indoor and greenhouse plant. Compared to the finger date, the Canary date is more resistant to high air humidity, which ensured its wide distribution throughout the world. The Canary date palm can withstand short-term cold snaps down to -9 ° C.

The Canarian date is often grown as an ornamental tree in countries with subtropical climates.

On the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, the Canary date usually blooms in late autumn, but in some years flowering can begin much earlier, already in the middle of summer. If in winter after flowering there was no frost below -5 ° C, then in December next year the fruits will ripen. Ripe fruits of the Canary date are yellowish-brown, ovoid, reaching 2.5 centimeters in length and 1.5 centimeters in width. In principle, they are edible, but in practice they are not eaten because of the coarse fiber pulp.

Canary date fruits look attractive, but hardly edible due to the coarse fiber pulp

Date rejected

The rejected date (bent date, wild date palm, Senegalese date palm) comes from tropical Africa, where it is grown almost everywhere. It is a multi-stemmed palm tree with a height of 7 to 15 meters. Its small fruits are edible and widely used for food by the local population of African countries in the area of ​​its natural growth. This palm is resistant to salty sea spray and moderate drought, therefore it is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in dry tropical regions of many countries of the world. Extreme frost resistance -5 ° C. The rejected date easily crosses with other types of date palms. In terms of their economic qualities, such hybrid seedlings often turn out to be much worse than the original parental forms.

Date rejected - wild African date palm with edible fruits

Forest date

Forest dates (wild date palm, Indian date palm, silver date palm, sugar date palm) are native to India and adjacent countries (Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka). Grows from 4 to 15 meters in height. The fruits are edible and widely consumed by the local population. In terms of fruit quality, this palm tree ranks second after the palm date and is actively grown as a fruit crop in the countries of South Asia.

Dates forest - Indian date palm, often grown on plantations in India and surrounding countries

From the trunks of this palm tree, sweet sap is also extracted, which is used to make sugar and palm wine. The forest date is drought tolerant and moderately tolerant of soil salinity. Extreme frost resistance -5 ° C.

The fruits of the Indian date palm are almost as good as real dates.

Rocky date

Rocky date (rocky date) grows up to 6, sometimes up to 8 meters in height. It occurs naturally in the mountain forests of India and Bhutan. It is grown in culture very rarely. Its small fruits with large seeds do not exceed 2 centimeters in length. They are edible, but have no economic value. Extreme frost resistance -3 ° C.

Rocky date from the mountain forests of the Himalayas

Date Robelena

The Robelena date (dwarf date palm) grows no higher than 3 meters in height. It occurs naturally in the forests of Vietnam, Laos and South China. This beautiful miniature palm is very popular as an ornamental plant in the tropical area and in indoor culture. Dies in frosts below -3 ° C. The fruits are small and have no economic value.

The Robelena date is a very popular ornamental plant.

Marsh date

Marsh date (mangrove date palm, sea date) is a medium-sized palm tree, reaching no more than 5 meters in height. It grows in coastal mangrove forests on the sea coasts of India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. The only date species that can grow in waterlogged soils. This is a very thermophilic plant of the humid tropics, almost never found in culture due to its specific requirements for growing conditions. The fruits are very small.

Marsh date - plant of humid tropical mangrove forests

The fruits of all types of date palms are edible, there are no poisonous among them, but many of them have no economic value due to their too small size or coarse fibrous pulp.

Fruits of different types of date palms

Finger dates - the main fruit crop of many tropical countries with a dry climate, yields fruits of the highest quality. Fruits of the Cretan date are rarely used for food by the local population. The fruits of the Canary date are not used for food because of the coarse fibrous pulp. The fruits of the Indian forest dates are of good quality and are widely used for food by local residents. The fruits of the rock dates are edible, but they have no economic value due to their small size. The fruits of the Robelen dates are very small and are not used for food. Small fruits of the mangrove date palm have no economic value.

Date palm varieties

Over the past century, more than 1,500 varieties of date palms have been bred. Each variety has its own characteristics in terms of the conditions and territory of their growth, in terms of endurance, taste, size and chemical composition of the fruit. What are the most popular varieties of dates?

Dairi dates grow on the monastic lands of Iraq. 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 how to grow this variety.

Another popular date palm is Bahri. Its fruits are cylindrical, light amber, sometimes dark brown when ripe. These dates have a thick consistency and rich flavor. For transportation and storage of fruits, a low temperature is provided.

Another popular variety, Halawi, is widespread in Iraq. The fruits of these palms are slightly below average in size. The peculiarity of the Halavi variety is that during ripening dates can dry out, so the plant requires a lot of moisture.

In Algeria and Tunisia, the Deglet Nur variety of dates is widespread. They are grown in oases. This variety also grows on plantations in California in the United States. Deglet Nur is a very productive variety, but does not like rains or high humidity.

The Egyptians fell in love with the Hayani variety. These dates are not exported, they are sold immediately fresh after harvest. This date palm is very hardy, adapted to cold climates.

The Arab market in Saudi Arabia and Iraq is filled with Kadrawi dates, which taste great. Americans and Europeans are not very fond of this variety due to its too dark color. These palms are rather undersized.

The Saidi variety is prized in Libya. Its fruits are soft and sweet. Saidi date palms need exceptionally sultry weather.

What variety is grown in Europe? Sayer palm trees are common here. Syrup is made from the orange-brown pulp of these dates. Zahidi palm trees grow in the Middle East, and Turi palm trees grow in Algeria.

Home and garden care

How to care for the date palm at home and in the garden? Date palms love the abundance of the sun, warm atmosphere even at night, sufficient watering.
Freezing temperatures are destructive for them, therefore in our regions it is possible to diversify the garden landscape with feathery leaves of a growing date only with the help of tubular plants.

Take out a palm tree on the air with an overnight stay in late spring and summerwithout forgetting to keep an eye on the weather forecast.In the event of a threat of frost, dates are returned to a warm room.

It is easier for a growing date to provide a comfortable environment in a home environment. Seedlings and mature plants will grow faster in windows facing south or southwest.

At the time of airing, the tub with the date is removed - he is afraid of drafts and may get sick.

Seasonal care calendar

In winter the date requires:

• temperatures not lower than 15 degrees;
• lack of cold air streams;
• weekly one-time watering with slightly heated water in a moderate amount;
• additional illumination (an additional lamp can be omitted if the plant is in a room where, at dusk, the light is turned on for several hours);
• typical feeding once a month.

In the summer a palm tree needs:

• provide systematic watering (every 2-3 days);
• place in a corner where drafts do not reach;
• create comfortable air humidity (achieved by spraying once or twice a day);
• shading from direct midday sunlight;
• arrange hygienic "washing" by wiping the leaves with a damp cloth (once a week);
• provide a lot of fresh air (taken out to the balcony, terrace, garden);
• protect against typical pests, diseases (preventive spraying with a fungicide, plain water will help - sufficient moisture will protect against spider mites).

Photo

Date palm: photo at home.

Trimming stem segments to improve plant shape

Dates do not like haircuts and may die due to artificial thinning of the crown.

In order for the amount of foliage to be uniform on all sides of the plant, the flowerpot with it must be rotated 90 or 180 degrees around its axis once a week.

Features of care after purchase

Before leaving the flower shop with a date in hand, need to find out:

• when the plant was last watered;
• when was the last feeding;
• what nutritional mixture he was supported.

Bringing home a plant you need inspect and make sure that in the axils of leaf rosettes there are no thin cobwebs, red "dots" (signs of a tick), and other insects. If there are no drainage holes in the pot, then they are made with a hot nail. Although it is better to transplant the dates into a slightly larger container, and at the same time update the soil and fill in a sufficient amount of drainage.

If the plant was kept in the pavilion all the time, then you should not take out the flowerpot directly to the street, balcony. To be in the open air is taught gradually, adding an hour every day.

Lighting

The date loves an abundance of sunlight.

If the summer is particularly hot, then the plant is protected from burns by moving the flowerpot deeper into the room or to a less illuminated place.

Bloom

Only a person who has given the plant an opportunity will see his date blooming grow up to 12-15 meters.

Flower brushes in dates resemble lush panicles with many stems, hung with fragrant small buds of white or yellowish color.

The first five or even a dozen date leaves have a xiphoid shape and a corrugated surface. Because of this, two-three-year-old palms look more like young corn growth. Fan leaves begin to form in the fourth or even fifth year of growth.

Temperature

The date feels good when the temperature is around it does not fall below 15 and does not rise above 35 degrees.

Air humidity

Dry air creates comfortable conditions for the development of spider mites. Avoiding his attacks will help two times spraying of leaves plants with clean softened water. The sprayed water jet should resemble fog.

Watering

Dates need a lot of water, but do not like overflows. To provide the plant with a comfortable watering regime, it must be grown in a pot with good drainage and moderately moisture-retaining soil.

Irrigation water should be:

• soft;
• defended;
• room temperature or slightly higher temperature.

If the tap water is too hard, it can be boiled and then kept in an uncovered container for several days.

Indicative watering schedule:

• in summer, once every 3 days (if the topsoil is dry);
• in winter once a week, in a reduced portion.

Soil and soil

Date seeds are germinated in palm soil or deciduous tree sawdust.

Young and older plants are grown in pots with soil that has next lineup:

• sand (2 parts);
• sod soil (2 parts);
• sheet land (2 parts);
• peat (1 part);
• humus (4 parts).

A year after transferring the plant to a new flowerpot, the top layer of soil is replaced with the same composition, but freshly prepared, not depleted.

Fertilizers

To support the plant in the summer every two weeks watering is accompanied by the introduction of a diluted solution of complex fertilizers. With a cold snap, vitamin supplements are carried out no more than once a month.

In the absence of an opportunity to purchase a preparation suitable for palm trees, the plant is supported ash extraction, to which phosphorus and potassium are mixed.

The extract is obtained by infusing a glass of ash in a liter of ordinary hot water. The resulting infusion is diluted 1 to 10 with water for irrigation.

The benefits of dates

Dates are loved by adults and children. The delicacy is not only tasty, but also healthy. If candies and common sweets only destroy gums and tooth enamel, 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 the eyes and liver. Potassium and magnesium contained in them serve to prevent heart disease. The dietary fiber (fiber) present in these dried fruits improves digestion. They help lower cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar levels. Dried dates contain a high concentration of antioxidants.

In another way, they are also called "desert bread". The great advantage of dates is that they are not treated with sulfuric acid, like other dried fruits. For example, there are many long-livers among the Chinese, whose food is based on dates. They not only increase the lifespan of a person, but also make him hardy, strengthen the liver, kidneys and heart. Dates stimulate the nervous system, help the body fight infections, including viral ones. These dried fruits prevent diseases such as hypertension, anemia, breast and lung cancer. They are able to soothe coughs and speed up phlegm excretion.

Date palm is the most important fruit crop of tropical deserts and semi-deserts

Dates are the fruit of the date palm. All numerous varieties of dates on the world market belong to the same botanical species - finger dates (real date palm).
The fruits of some other types of date palms are also edible and are used for food by the local population in the regions of their growth, but these fruits are not supplied to the world market.

Dates - the fruit of the date palm

The real date palm is widely grown in North Africa, West Asia, Pakistan and the arid regions of India. Small plantations of finger dates are also found on the Mediterranean coast of southern Europe, in the hot arid regions of the United States, Australia and South Africa. It is one of the few plants ideally adapted to the hot, dry climate of southern deserts and semi-deserts.

Dates are widely grown throughout the Mediterranean coastline, including southern Europe.

For date plantations, sunny places with the presence of underground aquifers or with the possibility of artificial irrigation are chosen. When planting, seedlings are placed according to the scheme 8 x 8 or 10 x 10 meters, depending on varietal characteristics and soil conditions.The offspring from adult fruiting plants are used as planting material. Date palm seedlings are very heterogeneous in their economic characteristics and are not used for setting up industrial plantations.

When and how dates bloom

The date palm is a dioecious plant. Male and female inflorescences are located on different specimens. Date palms are pollinated by the wind. When laying commercial plantations for every several dozen female trees, a male specimen is necessarily planted for cross-pollination. Date palms bloom from February to November, depending on the variety and region. It is possible to determine the sex of plants only during flowering. It takes about a year to ripen the fruit.

Male inflorescences of date palms do not bear fruit, but are necessary for pollination

Male specimens of the date palm bloom in large, racemose inflorescences consisting of small three-petalled flowers with numerous stamens. For better pollination, blossoming male inflorescences are often cut and suspended in the crowns of flowering female trees.

In the old days, cut male inflorescences were often dried and stored in reserve for several years in linen bags to ensure the harvest of dates even in the event of the death of the male pollinator.

Male date palm flowers have three petals and several stamens

On female date palm trees, the inflorescences are also arranged in large clusters, but they look a little different.

The female inflorescence of the date palm is the basis for the future harvest of dates

The female date flower looks like a small ball without petals. In case of successful pollination, a date fruit will grow from each such ball-flower.

Female date palm flowers look like tiny balls without petals

How dates bear fruit

Date palms begin to bear fruit early. The first fruits on female specimens appear already at the age of four. Young palms by this time have not yet had time to grow a high trunk, and bunches of dates often end up lying on the ground. On some plantations, such fruit clusters are tied to supports to avoid contact with the soil, but this is not done always and everywhere. That is why the dates purchased at the bazaar or in the store are strongly recommended to be washed before use, especially in countries with an unfavorable sanitary and epidemiological situation.

In young date palms, clusters of fruits often touch the ground.

Dates are harvested by hand. This is a very dangerous and difficult job. The pickers climb the trees and cut off clusters of ripe fruits with special curved knives, then gently lower them to the ground.

Harvesting dates by hand is hard and dangerous work

In the northern hemisphere, dates are ripening from May to December. In May, they begin to harvest early varieties in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. The main harvest in most countries in North Africa and West Asia takes place from August to October.

Picking dates in Tunisia (video)

An adult date palm can have 3 to 20 large clusters of fruits at a time. The weight of each hand usually ranges from 7 to 18 kilograms. The harvest from young trees is small, only 10–20 kilograms of fruit per tree, but it grows every year and at the age of 15 the trees already produce 60–100 kilograms of dates per year. The yield of mature palms in good conditions can reach 150-250 kilograms of dates from each tree annually. Palms bear fruit for up to 80-100 years or more; cases of regular fruiting of 200-year-old trees are known.

On an adult palm, several large brushes of dates ripen at once during the fruiting period

The single fruit of the date is a juicy, fleshy berry with one large seed. The color of dates, depending on the variety, is yellow, orange, red or brownish.The size of the fruit reaches 8 centimeters in length and 4 centimeters in diameter. Each fruit contains one large oblong bone with a longitudinal groove.

Each date hides one large oblong bone

Different varieties of dates are used for food, fresh or dried. Fresh dates can be tasted only in the regions where they grow. Dried fruits that can be stored for many months come to the world market. Depending on the variety, they are soft, semi-dry or dry.

The benefits and harms of dates

Dates are a very popular sweet treat that can replace candy and sugar. They contain small amounts of B vitamins, carotene (provitamin A) and vitamin K. Of the minerals, dates are especially rich in potassium, also contain calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and small amounts of iron, sodium, zinc, copper and manganese. The high potassium content makes dates beneficial for cardiovascular diseases. The calorie content of dates is very high and reaches 280-340 kcal per 100 grams of product, depending on the variety.

Sweet high-calorie dates are categorically contraindicated in diabetes and obesity. You should not abuse this delicacy and healthy people.

Sweet and tasty dates are just a popular delicacy, but not a panacea for all diseases.

The articles flooding the Internet about the mythical super-usefulness of dates have absolutely no scientific basis.

Yes, dates are indeed one of the staple foods of the poor in the tropical desert zone, but this is only for the banal reason that other agricultural plants simply do not survive in the hot and dry desert climate.

What are royal dates and where do they grow

Royal Dates is the trade name for the Medjoul date palm, grown in many countries in North Africa and West Asia, as well as in South Africa and the United States. Royal dates differ from other varieties only in larger sizes and nothing else, their chemical composition is completely identical to other varieties.

Royal dates - large-fruited date palm Medjoul

Plantation of royal dates on video

How to choose the right one?

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. Excess wrinkle indicates overdrying of the product. Look carefully for foreign formations, mold, plaque on the skin. It is worth noting that dates can be of different varieties.

Types and varieties

Only three types of date palm are suitable for growing in an apartment. We give a brief description of them with a photo:

• Date Canary... In the wild, it grows up to 15 m. It forms a wide trunk up to 1 m. The leaves sit on long petioles, equipped with very sharp thorns in the form of long needles. It is an ornamental tree that produces inedible fruits. At home, it grows only up to 2 m.

• Finger dates... On the counter of the store, you usually buy dates of this particular palm tree. Under natural conditions, it grows up to 20-25 m, and the width of its trunk reaches 30 cm. The length of leaves sitting on long petioles can reach 6 meters. And the length of small leaves sitting on the main vein is 40 cm.At home, the finger date grows up to 2-3 m, and the diameter of its crown reaches 2 m.

• Date Robelena... This is one of the best palm trees for home maintenance. It is unpretentious, requires simple maintenance. It is a relatively low (up to 3 m in height) tree growing in a somewhat trunk. The central one is straight, and the lateral ones are bent outward. The tree can grow in the shade.

These palms are great for growing in conservatories or large, bright spaces (living room, hallway, lobby or office).

Fink palm at home

An ornamental date palm is not difficult to grow from a seed in a pot. Naturally, such a tree will not bear fruit, because two trees of different sexes are needed for pollination. Housewives use these palms as a houseplant with feathery, beautifully curved leaves. It is worth sticking the seed of the fruit into the ground and watering, as in 2-3 months shoots will appear. Leaves in such a date palm can appear in 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 the effort you put into it.

Possible growing problems

The palm tree is very sensitive to the observance of all care rules. When deviating from them, the leaves are the first to suffer.

• The tips of the leaves dry out - the air is too dry, you need to spray the plants more often.
• Leaves turn yellow - lack of moisture, you need to water more often.
• Leaves darken - waterlogging, reduce the amount of watering.
• The date palm stops growing - it's too cold indoors. At temperatures below 16 degrees, the roots function poorly, practically not absorbing nutrients. Another reason may be the high acidity of the soil. It acidifies when watered with hard water. Such a plant will have to be transplanted.

In general, caring for an indoor giant is not so difficult. Palms are very responsive to care and will delight the grower with good growth and a healthy look.

Transplanting a young palm tree

When a young palm tree grows to 15 cm, it is transplanted, then this is done every year along with the soil (its roots are very vulnerable) in April, then once every three years. In plants older than 10 years, the topsoil is changed. The day before, they water the ground well. Drainage (brick, expanded clay) is laid at the bottom of a high pot, the composition of the soil does not change. The dishes are chosen 4 cm larger than the previous one. The palm tree is removed from the old pot very carefully, trying not to damage the roots and leaves, shake off the ground, placed in another container, fill the voids with soil.

It is impossible to cut off the top and form the crown of a palm tree, it is the point of growth of the tree, only damaged and old leaves are removed

What conditions are needed for growing at home

In indoor conditions, dates can grow up to 2-3 m, which is much less than in nature. But at the same time, she still needs a lot of space. An adult plant is best placed where there is a minimum of furniture.

For a culture to develop normally and feel comfortable, it needs to provide suitable conditions:

• adequate lighting;
• moderate humidity;
• loose soil;
• periodic bathing in the shower;
• heat.

Temperature

In spring and summer, the optimum temperature for a date palm is 20-25 degrees. Higher temperatures are acceptable when the room humidity is high. In winter, it is recommended to lower the temperature of the content to 15-18 degrees. However, it is best not to allow a drop below 14 degrees.

The palm tree loves fresh air. Therefore, the room in which it is located is recommended to be regularly ventilated, but not to leave the flower in a draft.

It is important to keep the roots of the plant warm.

The Canary date is the most cold-resistant. It can winter at a temperature of 8-10 degrees, and an adult plant can tolerate short-term drops in temperature up to 5 degrees.

Date Robelena loves warmth more. For him, even in winter, the temperature should not drop below 16 degrees.

Date palm root system is very sensitive to cold... Therefore, the pot should be kept warm, especially during the winter. It is not recommended to place it on a cold windowsill or marble floor.

In the warm season, when the average daily temperature rises above 12 degrees, the plant can be taken out into the open air. The date will be comfortable on a balcony, loggia or in a garden protected by trees. It is important to choose a place without drafts and scorching sun.

Accommodation in the house: requirements for light and temperature

Dates are very light-loving plants. Only the southern and southeastern locations are suitable for them. Only seedlings and young palm seedlings up to 2 years of age shade from direct sunlight.

In the warm season, if possible, they are taken out into the garden or onto the balcony and placed in a well-lit place. In winter, the plant, as a rule, does not have enough light, and its lack is compensated by providing additional artificial lighting.

The temperature conditions of the premises of temperate latitudes fully satisfy the requirements of the date palm. However, most species of the genus prefer a cool winter, about 5-8 degrees above zero. Such a microclimate can be provided by a weakly heated balcony or loggia, as well as a winter garden or a greenhouse.

Pruning leaves

If you follow all the recommendations on how to grow a date palm at home, and with the normal development of the plant, the number of leaves on it will increase. But some of them may deteriorate or dry out.

It is recommended to prune in such cases:

• remove dead or broken leaves;
• long leaves bent below the horizontal.

Absolutely forbidden:

• break off the top, which is the only point of growth of the palm;
• damage the trunk when trimming.

The total number of leaves removed per year should be less than new ones grow. If by chance, during transplantation, the earthen lump crumbled, and some of the roots were exposed, then it is recommended to remove half of the leaves - this will help reduce the amount of water evaporated by the plant.

Where can one buy

Date seeds can be purchased at a specialized seed outlet or online store. But knowing how to grow a date from a stone, you can not buy seeds, but get them from the fruit. The main thing is that the dates do not undergo heat treatment and are not affected by rot, otherwise it will not be possible to wait for the seedlings.

For those who do not want to spend a lot of time growing, you can purchase the plant at the flower shop. The cost of a palm tree will depend on both the variety and the height of the plant. A 50 cm high Canary date will cost about 1000 rubles, a Robelini date - 1600 rubles. The price for adult plants with a height of 2 to 2.5 m varies between 24,000-30,000 rubles.

Palm is a majestic plant that creates a special exotic atmosphere in the interior. But in order to grow a gorgeous plant, it is important to know how to care for a date and follow all recommendations for its maintenance.

Preparing the date bone for planting

First, you should start looking for high-quality planting material. To do this, you need to go to a store or market. The choice of dates must be very careful. It is important to consider that they should not be pretreated. It is best to choose dates that have been withered or dried for this purpose.

In order to increase the chances of a successful planting, it is better to use not one, but several seeds at once. Before proceeding with planting, their surface must be carefully freed from the pulp. It should be remembered that even the smallest piece of leftover pulp can lead to mold on the bone.

The peeled bone must be placed in a container with cold water for 2 days. The water must be changed systematically. Then the planting material should be inspected again for pulp residues. The bones are now ready for planting. Experienced growers recommend using the following tricks to speed up the appearance of a sprout:

1. Place the pit in a small container and pour in hot water. Wait 10 minutes and remove it from the liquid. Thanks to this preparation, a young plant will appear just a few weeks after planting. By the way, without this procedure, seedlings need to wait for months.
2. You can also gently pierce the seed with a pointed object or rub it well against the sandpaper.This method will allow the liquid to quickly get inside the seed. The result of this will be a fairly early appearance of the sprout.

Before proceeding to the direct planting of the date seed, it is necessary to prepare the most optimal conditions for the plant.

Care rules

Date palm care includes:

• watering
• top dressing
• pruning
• transplant

back to menu ↑

Read also: Lily (55+ Photos) of an oriental beauty - a description of 9 varieties, rules of care and cultivation + Reviews

Watering

For irrigation, use settled, soft, warm water - about 20 ° С

In nature, the palm tree grows in conditions with little rainfall. The plant has long roots, due to which it can extract water even in the absence of rain. But in the house she needs to provide a sufficient amount of moisture.

• If water collects under the pot, it must be drained. Wipe the bottom of the container. Do not water it with hard, chlorinated water. Watering with hard water is fraught with chlorosis.
• In the warm season, you can carry out daily spraying of the leaves. Once a week - soft shower. During these procedures, moisture should not get into the soil. Cover the topsoil with a waterproof material.
• If the plant was planted from a seed, before the sprout appears, it needs to be watered occasionally. The soil in the pot should be practically dry at the time of watering.
• The ground under a young palm tree is moistened as the top layer dries - 2 - 4 cm. The greatest amount of moisture is required from April to August. In winter, the amount of watering should be minimal, as the plant goes into a dormant state.

back to menu ↑

See also: Lemon: description, care, growing from the seed at home, recipes for vitamin juice and lemonade + Reviews

Top dressing

In flower shops there are special fertilizers for palms. They are best suited for plant nutrition. Substances for decorative deciduous houseplants are also suitable. They contain the largest amount of nitrogen in their composition. This food element is responsible for the violent growth of the green mass.

You can use the following fertilizers:

• Good power
• Uniflor-growth
• Bona Forte housing and communal services
• Ideal
• Garden of miracles
• Etisso
• Tsniflor-micro
• Agricola
• Pokon
• Giant, etc.

You should choose drugs in liquid form. If fertilizers are dry, they must be dissolved in water. Substances are introduced into pre-moistened soil. All fertilizers should be applied in accordance with the instructions. Like any other crop, it is better not to feed a palm tree than to overfeed it.

There are also fertilizers in the form of tablets and sticks. They are convenient to use - you just need to stick them into the ground in a pot with a tree. But some growers do not recommend the use of such preparations, explaining this by the possible harm from the use of such substances for plant roots.

For its fertilization, both mineral and organic substances can be used.

You can use potassium nitrate. Proportions - 10 g per 1 bucket of water.

In the cold season, palm preparations should contain the least amount of nitrogen.

A tree transferred to the garden for the summer can be fed with chicken manure, cow dung in granules, or with the help of infusion once a week. The proportions for preparing the solution from the droppings are 1:20, for the mullein - 1:10.

You can also make top dressing on the sheet.

Nutrients are allowed to be added only 2 months after transplanting. The plant should grow stronger in a new place. During this time, it will have enough of those substances that are present in the soil.

Nutrient mixtures must not be applied under sick, insect-infested trees.

back to menu ↑

Read also: TOP-50 Ornamental plants that purify the air in our house or apartment (50+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews

Signs of a battery shortage

• With an insufficient amount of nitrogen in the soil, the leaves of the palm tree acquire a lighter shade, the plant itself stops growing.
• During a lack of potassium, the leaves of the plant become covered with bronze - brown specks. Over time, they can curl, dry out.
• Magnesium deficiency is manifested by the formation of a yellow edging at the edges of the leaf blade.

Top dressing

To grow the date palm at home strong and healthy, during the warm season (March - October) it is recommended to feed the palm tree every two weeks with the help of complex fertilizers. It is better to buy ready-made special dressings intended for decorative deciduous crops or for palms.

A beneficial effect on the date palm is the introduction of a solution of potassium nitrate in a ratio of 10 g per bucket of water.

In the winter months, it is recommended to keep the date palm at a lower temperature (+ 12 ... + 14 ° C), observing moderation in watering. At this time, the growth of the plant slows down, so no additional feeding is required.

In nature, beautiful feathery leaves on a palm tree appear, as a rule, only in the 3rd year, and in an apartment - no earlier than five years later.

The soil

The soil for the date palm should be good for air and moisture, be loose and soft. It is very important to put a good drainage layer on the bottom of the pot. This will protect the plant from stagnant water.

You can buy ready-made substrate for palm trees in the store... Another way is to prepare the mixture yourself. In this case, you can choose one of the options:

• Clay-soddy, humus-leafy soil, peat, sand, rotted manure (2: 2: 1: 1: 1);
• Humus, sod land, peat, sand, compost (2: 2: 1: 1: 1);
• Sod land, peat, humus, perlite (2: 2: 2: 1).

You can also add a little ash or crushed charcoal to the mixture.

Benefits of fruits

We all know dates are very healthy. However, we can't even imagine how much.

Interesting fact! Some believe that it was the date, not the apple, that was mentioned in the Bible. In Holy Scripture, these fruits are generally mentioned about fifty times.

To begin with, the likelihood of developing a date allergy is negligible. They are also very nutritious. A glass of milk combined with one date can provide the body with all the amino acids it needs. Dates are often taken with you on hikes, as they provide the body with the necessary level of energy.

Fruits contain glucose, which improves brain activity, polyphenols, which have an antioxidant effect on the body. Potassium strengthens the heart and helps lower blood pressure. Fiber stimulates the digestive tract. Vitamin C helps fight colds, and E improves skin condition, has an anticancer effect and improves the activity of the central nervous system.

Reproduction

The date palm is propagated exclusively by seeds. To do this, you just need to buy dried fruits (dried dates) and be patient. You will have to wait several months before the first sprout appears.

Growing a date palm from a stone step by step:

1. Remove the pulp from the pit.
2. Make an incision in the hard shell of the seed, but so as not to damage the kernel. This is an important condition for germination.
3. Prepare a seedling cup and fill it with peat or sphagnum.
4. Moisten the substrate and plant the bone in it so that it is 1 cm buried.
5. Cover the glass with plastic wrap and place in a warm place. The temperature there should be about + 25 ... + 30 ° C.
6. Open the film every day so that mold does not form from stagnant moisture. Moisten the substrate if necessary. If condensation forms on the shelter, then it must be wiped off.
7. When the first sprout appears, remove the cover and transfer the glass to a well-lit place. This can happen 3-4, and sometimes even 6 months after planting.

When 2-3 leaves grow on the palm, transplant it into a small pot and care for it like an adult plant.

Fertilizer

From April to September, the date palm should be fed once every 2 weeks, in winter - once a month, or stop feeding altogether. For this purpose, special fertilizers for palm trees or complex fertilizers for ornamental deciduous plants are suitable.

The date reacts well to fertilization with potassium nitrate. To prepare top dressing, dissolve a flat teaspoon of saltpeter in a liter of water.

With a lack of nutrients in the soil, the decorative qualities of the date palm are reduced, it begins to grow more slowly. Timely feeding will help to correct the situation.

It is important to apply fertilizers only diluted and into moist soil (after watering)... Otherwise, there is a risk of burning the roots of the flower.

Sometimes it is recommended to alternate mineral dressings with organic ones. As the latter, you can use bird droppings, for example, granular or its infusion.

Description

The date palm, or date (Phoenix) - plants of the Palm family (Palmae), or Arecaceae (Arecaceae). In nature, it grows in tropical, subtropical climates. It was mentioned in the writings of Pliny, Theophrastus, Herodotus. It has been cultivated since the 4th century BC.

She may have one or more barrels. Leaves are pinnate. Long, narrow, pointed at the top. Its fruits are eaten, fed to animals, used to make sugar.

India and Africa are considered the birthplace of all palm trees. Under natural conditions, these trees or shrubs live up to 150 years and grow up to 30 m in height. Their trunk is strong. It is known that it is impossible to shake a palm tree and collect fruits from it. To do this, you need to climb the plants themselves.

back to menu ↑

See also: Homemade monstera is an exotic liana from the hot tropics. Description, care, transplant and reproduction (75 Photos & Videos) + Reviews

Choice of place and conditions of detention

Let us find out in what conditions the date palm must be kept so that it stands out with its special decorative effect.

Lighting and location

For a date, an abundance of light is important. But the palm tree does not tolerate direct sunlight. Therefore, it is best to place it at the back of a well-lit room or hall. And Robelen's date can even be put in the shade: it will not harm him.

Young plants can be kept on all windows, except for the southern one. And large trees are grown in containers on the floor, which are placed near the windows. In the summer they can be taken outside or kept on the balcony.

Temperature

In summer, the optimum temperature for a date palm is + 20 ... + 25 ° C. She can do well at higher temperatures, provided the air is humid enough. In winter, the tree will feel comfortable at a temperature of + 15 ... + 18 ° C. The Canary date can grow even in the cold: it is quite comfortable, even if the temperature drops to + 5 ... + 10 ° C. It can even survive short-term frosts down to -5 ° C.

Air and humidity

The date palm likes moderate air humidity (50-70%). This indicator should not be allowed to fall below 40-50%. Otherwise, the tips of the leaves will begin to dry. The decorative qualities of the tree suffer greatly from this. Regular spraying of foliage with fresh water helps to cope with dry air.

Soil and pot

The soil for growing dates should be light, well-drained and nutritious. For a palm tree, store soil designed specifically for palm trees is suitable. It can be made at home by mixing equal parts:

• compost;
• humus;
• washed river sand;
• turf land.

For young palms, it is better to use simple plastic or ceramic flower pots. The main condition for them is the presence of drainage holes. Mature trees should be planted in deep, large containers. The size of the container is selected depending on the volume of the root system: it should be spacious.

Collection and drying process

The photo shows how dates are harvested.Young palms, whose age reaches 5-8 years, begin to actively bear fruit. They give about 10 kg of fruit. But after 13 years, the plant is capable of producing up to 80 kg of dates.

Fruits go through several stages of development:

1. For 17 weeks after pollination, the fruit is bitter in taste. It is green and 80% water.
2. Over the next 6 weeks, it reaches the desired size and takes on a yellow, orange or red hue.
3. In the third stage, which lasts a month, the fruit becomes juicy.
4. Over the next two weeks, he coarsens, dries up. He is now ready to clean.

This is how much a date grows on a palm tree. The developed countries have mechanized the collection process as much as possible. In Africa, however, pickers still climb a palm tree and cut the bunches, which they carefully pass on to assistants waiting below. Of course, this is not the safest method. On the plantations of America and Saudi Arabia, various harvesting saddles, retractable ladders, mobile lifting towers are used.

Many farmers keep a close eye on the maturity of dates, as hot sun or rainy periods can completely ruin the fruit. Therefore, they are often collected ahead of time, placed in special chambers that allow you to regulate the humidity and temperature of the air inside. Such conditions enable the fruit to fully ripen and retain its beauty. In less developed countries, drying is carried out in the sun. It is more laborious, but ripe dates are in no way inferior to others in quality.

The use of dates is very wide. They are not only consumed in dried and boiled form. They also make wine (this was practiced by the ancient Egyptians), coffee substitute, flour for making bread.

Possible palm growth problems and solutions

A date palm from a stone can be grown by following the recommendations and rules for planting and care. But even when creating ideal conditions, some problems may appear, the solutions to which are indicated in the table below.

Plant-typical diseases: preventive measures and methods of control

As the experience of flower growers testifies, the date palm does not have any exotic diseases brought from the historical homeland. In general, with proper care, he rarely suffers from diseases. The most dangerous for her is root rot, the development of which is often provoked by the owner of the palm tree, who is too zealous with watering.

The disease is also dangerous because the characteristic symptoms (black-brown slimy spots at the base of the trunk and petioles, mold on the soil, "weeping" brownish spots on the leaves, a noticeable putrid smell) appear only when its development has already reached a critical stage. Most likely, the damaged palm tree can no longer be saved.If you still manage to notice the problem in time, an immediate transplant can help, but this does not guarantee success. The soil must be completely changed, the pot must be disinfected. Glyocladin, Trichodermin in granules are added to the soil. Water very sparingly during the first month after transplanting. Instead of ordinary water, use a pinkish solution of potassium permanganate or a solution of Alirin-B, Fitosporin-M.

Root rot manifests itself clearly only when the development of the disease has already gone far

Date palm leaves are quite tough. This is a serious obstacle for many pests that feed on plant sap. Unfortunately, not for everyone. Most often, dates are attacked by mealybugs, scale insects, thrips, spider mites.

Photo gallery: pests dangerous for the date palm

Mealybugs are easily recognizable by their characteristic whitish bloom on the leaves.

The shield is reliably protected by a durable shell, so folk remedies in the fight against it are ineffective

Small black dots on the leaves - these are thrips.

Spider mites are not insects, so conventional insecticides are useless against them.

To spot the problem in time, when it is easiest to deal with it, the plant is regularly inspected. For prophylaxis, a palm tree and soil in a pot can be sprayed with infusion of onion or garlic gruel, shooters every 1.5–2 weeks. Having found pests, the leaves are wiped with a soft, damp cloth, removing visible insects, and the plant is given a shower. The scabbard is removed by lubricating their shells with kerosene, turpentine, machine oil.

If the "bath procedures" do not work, use any general-purpose insecticides. The palm tree and the soil are sprayed with a solution of any general-action insecticide - Aktara, Iskra-Bio, Konfidor-Maxi, Mospilan, Aktellik. An exception is the spider mite; to combat it, specialized preparations are used - acaricides (Neoron, Omayt, Vertimek, Apollo). Then a transparent plastic bag is put on the plant (if the dimensions allow) and, if possible, it is tightly fixed. They shoot it in a day or two. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated 2-3 more times with an interval of 5-12 days. As a rule, the hotter it is outside, the more actively insects reproduce.

Date palm cultivation in Russia is possible only in "captivity". Trees planted in open ground do not tolerate even the mildest climate in the subtropics. You can't count on the harvest from plants kept at home either - in order for the fruits to set, they need cross-pollination. But all of the above does not detract from the merits of the date palm as a decorative leafy plant that decorates the interior.

Spraying

In the hot summer period, it is recommended to spray the date palm daily: in the morning or in the evening. Once a week, you can give the plant a warm shower. In winter, spraying is carried out less often - once a week.

When spraying a date palm, it is important to cover the soil in the pot with plasticso that excess water does not fall on the ground.

Since the date palm is a visitor from the tropics, it is necessary to maintain sufficient humidity in the environment for it to grow well. Regular spraying will help with this.

For spraying, soft settled or filtered water and a fine-grained spray bottle are used.

Washing the leaves will prevent dry leaf tips and some pests, and will also cleanse the plant of dust. To give the plant a more well-groomed, beautiful appearance, sometimes it is recommended to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or sponge.

3. Varieties:

3.1 Phoenix roebelenii

Squat feathery palm, reaching a height of 5 m with a thick, powerful trunk, covered with the remains of fallen leaves. At the tops of the trunks there is a lush, airy, green crown formed by complex, dark green leaves from 90 to 150 cm long.The leaf petioles are curved, have sharp thorns at the base. The leaf segments are very narrow, glossy, whole-edged, reaching a length of 30 - 40 cm. Inflorescence is a drooping branched panicle up to 30 cm long with small creamy flowers. The male and female flowers are found on different plants. Female palms, as they bloom, form edible fruits - dates.

↑ Up,

Sprout care

The next step is to regularly water and care for young date sprouts. The plant needs regular watering, the soil should not be allowed to dry out.

After the appearance of two leaves, it is recommended to make a pick and plant it in a larger container with the same soil, especially if the seeds were sitting in several pieces in a pot. During this period, young plants experience an active growth of roots, therefore, the addition of leaves at first slows down.

In the first year of a palm tree's life in the hot summer months, direct sunlight should be avoided on young seedlings. Transplanting into larger pots is best done when the plants are 10-15 cm tall.