The Date Palm, Phoenix Dactylifera, is a tree native to the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan. Its fruits are great sources of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. Enjoy its great taste and health benefits in a variety of dishes.
Phoenix dactylifera or Date palm ?????? is tall, sometimes suckering palm producing a columnar trunk usually clad with old leaf bases, at least towards the top. Leaves, 4-6m long, are composed of many linear, greyish green leaflets, the lowest ones reduced to spines, arranged in various planes giving a 3-dimensional effect. Bowl-shaped cream flowers appear in long-stalked panicles, 1.5-2m long, in spring or summer. Ellipsoid to cylindrical, edible, sweet, fleshy, yellow to reddish brown fruit, 2.5-7cm long, are very variable both in texture and flavor.