Date Palms
Phoenix spp.
Plant Family: Palmae
Leaves: Pinnate, green, very long, to 6 m, the segments are held in two ranks off the midrib, in a single plane. Lower segments take the form of sharp spines. Older, dead leaves hang off the top of the trunk.
Bark: Very rough, covered with old leaf bases in a helical pattern, the trunk is usually single, is widest at the base, and lacks a crown shaft.
Flowers: Yellow-white, in clusters that are 1 m long; summer.
Fruits: Orange-red, edible, to 2 cm in diameter; fall to winter.
Habitat: Planted throughout south Florida as beautiful ornamentals.
Growth Form: Medium-sized tree.
Similar Species: There are at least six Phoenix species in south Florida, and they are known to hybridize, so exact identification is difficult. As a group they are identified by the trunk covered in old leaf bases, the sharp spines on the lower leaves, and no crownshaft.
Comments: The Date Palms are native to Asia and Africa and are planted as ornamentals in Florida. They do not produce fruit here as well as they do in their native habitat.
