The Date Palm: Floral camel of the desert
THE Date Palm, Phoenix dactylifera L., is one of the world’s oldest fruit trees, enjoying mention in both the Qur’an and the Bible. The ancient Hebrews called the Date Palm the “tree of life” because of the protein in its fruit, and the shade given by its long, leafy branches. The Arabs have said that there are as many uses for the Date Palm as there are days in the year.
While several ancient cultures revered the Date Palm and its fruit, the Arab culture holds it in highest esteem. The Prophet Mohammed, who lived in a village at the centre of Date Palm culture, consecrated the fruit; they were his favourite food, described as ‘God’s Bounty’ in the Koran, where it is mentioned no less than 26 times.

Native of the desert
It is uncertain where the Date Palm originated, but it has been described as truly a palm of desert oases. It is a perennial plant which reaches an average age of 150 years, and normally begins to bear dates within an average of five years from the time the offshoot has been planted.
Some claim that the Date Palm first originated in Babel in Iraq, while others believe that it originated in Dareen or Hofuf in Saudi Arabia; or Harqan, an island on the Arabian Gulf in Bahrain. It is, however, native to desert regions of Northern Africa, where moisture is available from springs or underground water.
The Date Palm has been cultivated for thousands of years. Its fruit was an important food in biblical times, providing desert travellers with a nutritious meal. Like the fig (Ficus carica), dates could be dried and carried on long journeys across vast areas of parched land.

World count
The number of Date Palms in the world is about 100 million. Of these, 62 million can be found in the Arab world. On a commercial scale, the Middle East and North Africa are the major Date Palm-producing areas in the world.
There are about a dozen Date Palm trees in Guyana, brought here and planted by Moslems. The plants are available locally, and can be successfully cultivated for their delicious fruit – the date.
Hans Neher, of the # 1 Plant Shop on Sheriff Street in Georgetown, said he is aware that there are just about a dozen Date Palms in Guyana, and these trees have generally  not borne fruit because the planters have largely been unaware that palm is a dioecious species, with male and female flowers produced on separate trees.
Since the fruits grow on separate female trees, they must be pollinated by male trees in order to mature into sweet, delicious dates. The dates are hand-pollinated with pollen collected from the inflorescences of male trees.
“They need at least one male palm tree for all the female trees in the area,” he said.
One male tree produces enough pollen for a ‘harem’ of about 50 female trees
As early as 2300 B.C., people had learned to hang a male inflorescence in a female tree to enhance pollination.
Some varieties of the Date Palm, for example the Senegalese Date Palm, are also used for landscaping because of their picturesque clumps of curved, multiple trunks. The Date Palm is a tree that can be planted with easy care and maintenance.
Date Palm Plants are available at the # 1 Plant Shop on Sheriff Street (Tel # 227 8094), but for those who are inclined to be somewhat impatient, the delicious fruit is available at Nigel’s Supermarket.