​​Phoenix dactylifera

Phoenix dactylifera, a member of the palm family, Arecaceae, is the species of the Phoenix genus known as the “true date palm” because it alone bears edible and marketable fruit. “Dactylifera” comes from the Ancient Greek word “daktulos,” meaning “date” or “finger,” and the Latin verb, “ferre,” meaning, "to bear." Phoenix dactylifera is the date-bearing or finger-bearing palm tree. “Phoenix” refers to that which is “uniquely remarkable,” after the mythological bird. As well, the ancient land of Phoenicia,  in the western, coastal area of the Fertile Crescent, also known as  “the cradle of civilization,” translates as "land of palm trees,"  derived from the Greek word, “phoinix,” meaning “palm.”

While it has been in cultivation for 5,000 to 6,000 years, the origin of Phoenix dactylifera  is unknown. Some suggest Mesopotamia. Some suggest the Sahara desert.  Some suggest tropical areas of western Asia. Its progenitor may be Phoenix reclinata of tropical Africa or Phoenix sylvestris from India. There is also speculation that Phoenix dactylifera was cultivated from Phoenix theophrasti,  thought to perhaps be the original date palm, and named after the 3rd  century B.C., Athenian philosopher and botanist, Theophrastus, a pupil  of Aristotle.  

In 1900, United States Department of Agriculture  explorer, Walter Swingle, was studying date palms in Algeria and noted  that the Coachella Valley has similar growing conditions. He brought  some shoots back with him to California, and they thrived. In 1911, Fred  Popenoe, who owned a nursery in Altadena, sent his sons, Paul and  Wilson, to collect date palms for his nursery. Their travels took them  to Basra, Baghdad, and the banks of the Shatt-el-Arab River, where they  purchased thousands of young palm trees. They were shipped to Galveston,  Texas and freighted to California. 1912 marks the commercial  introduction of date palms to the Coachella Valley, and the United  States as a whole.

Phoenix dactylifera are hardy and  adaptable to many soils. They will grow in deserts, tropics, and  cold-temperate regions (as low as 20 degrees, or even 15 degrees  Fahrenheit, under dry conditions). They are salt-tolerant and good for  coastal planting. Date palms have a broad, gray trunk with diamond  patterned leaf scars, which are carved to refinement prior to  installation. They have a slow growth rate and do well with bright sun,  typically reaching 70 feet in height. They are drought resistant with  deep roots that seek underground water sources, and require irrigation  for best results. Date palms have silvery-green to dark green, pinnate  or feather-like, leaves or fronds that are typically 12-20 feet long.  Their canopy spread, depending on maturity and growing conditions, is  25-35 feet.  Date palms give a paradisal, oasis effect to landscapes.

We provide 3 cultivars of Phoenix dactylifera: Deglet Noor, Medjool, and Zahidi.

When  comparing Deglets, Medjools, and Zahidis, the three main differences  are found in the fullness of the canopies, the color and length of the  leaves or fronds, and the thickness of the trunks. Generally speaking:

The  Deglet Noor has a more airy and open canopy than the Medjool or Zahidi,  with fewer fronds that are 14.5-16.5 feet long and are olive-green with  a light glaucous bloom. Its trunk is typically 15-18 inches in  diameter. The effect is one of splendor and gracefulness in appearance.

The  Medjool canopy has fronds that, while also olive-green with a light  glaucous bloom, are shorter than the Deglet, 11.5-12.5 feet, and  stiffer, creating a fuller look. It also has wider leaflets, or pinnae,  that characteristically protrude from the leaf at various angles,  producing a ruffled effect. Along with a higher frond count than the  Deglet, this gives the Medjool a more dense and lush appearance. As  well, the Medjool trunk is sturdier in appearance, with a diameter of  18-20 inches. It is no wonder that this tree is a popular landscape  option.

The Zahidi canopy is yet fuller and denser than that of  the Medjool. Its plentiful and straight fronds are of a lighter green  color with a heavy glaucous bloom. They are longer than the Medjool and  shorter than the Deglet, 13-14 feet. Taken together, these  characteristics give the Zahidi a rich sense of formality and elegance.  The trunk of the Zahidi is also larger than that of the Medjool, with a  diameter of 21-26 inches. People marvel at the Zahidi's stately and  regal appearance. Zahidis bespeak opulence, and are often described as  “majestic.”

Deglet Noor, Medjool, and Zahidi – all exquisite specimens. All are of excellent quality.

The Washingtonia genus is of  the Corypheae tribe, which is to say they are fan palms. Named after  George Washington, they are native to the southwestern United States and  northwest Mexico, principally in the Sonoran, Colorado, and Mojave  deserts. They are cultivated as ornamental trees. There are two species:  Washingtonia robusta and Washingtonia filifera. Washingtonia filibusta is a hybrid of the two. There has been some debate whether Washingtonia robusta and Washingtonia filifera  are in fact two subspecies of a single species. Evidence for this claim  is found in the town of Cataviña in Baja California, where Filifera with unusually slender trunks grow unusually tall.* The Robusta received its name for its robust growth rate. The Filifera is named for its filiferous or “thread-bearing” appearance.

Washingtonia robusta,  also called Mexican Fan Palm, originated in the mountain valleys and  canyons of Sonora and Baja California Sur. They are extremely drought  tolerant, and soar to 100 feet, with a slender trunk that is 10-12  inches in diameter, bulging at the ground, and ringed with closely set  leaf scars. As the Robusta​ ascends, the trunk characteristically  develops a slight curve or arc. They have a dense and compact plume of  foliage at the crown. Appropriately, Robustas are often referred to as “Skydusters.”

The  crown’s palmate or fan-shaped leaves are a rich and glossy dark green,  and grow from 6.5 to 8 feet in length (including both petiole and blade)  and 4 feet in width, with a prominent white patch at the lower surface.  Their leaflets are stiff, and their cottony threads fall off with age.  The dead leaves will form a “hula skirt” when not removed. They also  have inflorescences extending past the leaves, growing 8-13 feet long  with clusters of small whitish flowers. The Robusta can produce  as many as 50 leaves in a year and has a canopy spread of 10-12  feet, contributing to the canopy’s round and dense appearance.

The Robusta  will tolerate poor soil or even sand, and is not fussy with  drainage. It remains hardy even at the temperature of 20 degrees  Fahrenheit, and is resilient to the searing heat of the hottest climate  regions. It grows and transplants easily, and displays elegance and  grace.

Washingtonia filifera, also called California Fan  Palm, originated in southern California, western Arizona, and Baja  California Norte, along streams and canyons, and in open areas where  groundwater is present. They are also drought tolerant, growing to 65-66  feet, with a looser, more open, and larger canopy than that of the Robusta. They also have a broader trunk than the Robusta, 20-35 inches in diameter, which is gray, barrel-shaped, and ringed with leaf scars. 

The Filifera  can have up to 30 non-shiny gray-green leaves that are 11.5 to 13 feet  long, and up to 6 feet wide. Their leaflets are pendulous and swing  freely, with abundant cottony threads on and between them that persist  to form a “petticoat” from the crown to the ground when old leaves are  not removed. Their inflorescences grow 16-20 feet long, and have white  and yellow flower clusters that project out and downward from the leaf  crown. The canopy spread is typically 15 feet.

The Filifera thrives in a wide range of soils and climates, and can be successfully transplanted even when large. Full sun is best, but Filifera  also grows well in partial shade, benefiting from moist soil with good  drainage. It is hardy and can withstand both, the cold and the heat. In a  dry climate they can tolerate brief temperatures of 10 or 15 degrees  Fahrenheit, and do well with temperatures up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.    

Traditionally, Native Americans have used the Filifera  fruit as a source of food, the seeds for gourd rattles, and the fronds  for construction and weaving. Its presentation is august.

Washingtonia filibusta  is the hybrid of the Mexican Fan Palm and California Fan Palm. In  growth and appearance, it draws from both its parents. It reaches  heights of 65-100 feet, with a trunk that is 12-20 inches in diameter.  The canopy is somewhat loose and open, with a spread of 12-14 feet. The  crown produces  40 or so slightly shiny, medium green leaves, with some  white on the lower surface, that are 8-10 feet long and 5 feet  wide.  They are variously stiff and drooping. Its inflorescences are 16.5 feet  long. Washingtonia filibusta​ grows as fast or even slightly faster than Washingtonia robusta, and much faster than Washingtonia filifera. Like the Robusta, the Filibusta can  thrive in extreme heat. It also establishes well in cooler climates  with wet winters, having the moisture resistance of the Robusta and the cold hardiness of the Filifera. Invariably, the Filibusta​ is a handsome specimen.

Robusta, Filifera, and Filibusta line  all manner of streetscapes, and are also planted to accent building  structures, as well as give definition to open spaces, to stunning and  verdant effect.