Phoenix sylvestris
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 Photo: Jungle Music Palms & Cycads.com | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Bangladesh, China Southeast, India, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the West Himalayas..JPG)
Description
This palm is native to India and southern portions of Pakistan. In both countries, it occurs in areas where there is sparse vegetation mainly composed of scrub species and along flat lands where monsoons occur. Though slow growing, it can reach heights of up to 50 feet and grows well in areas of the United States where temperatures do not fall below 15°F. Leaves are pinnately compound and blue-green, and they can grow to 10 feet in length. Leaflets can reach approximately 18 inches long and grow opposite to one another on the rachis in such a way that the entire leaf looks flat. The petiole, or stem that attaches the leaf to the trunk, is 3 feet long and armed with spines. Young trunks bear triangular shaped leaf scars (the place where leaves once attached to the trunk) that become more diamond-shaped with age. On older trees, aerial roots tend to be present at the base of the trunk. Yellow inflorescences can reach lengths of 3 feet, are heavily branched, bear small white blossoms, and grow among the leaves. The oblong fruits are 1 inch long and occur in orange clusters, turning dark red to purple when mature. (edis.ifas.ufl.edu)
| Detailed Scientific Description |
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Solitary palm. Stem to 10 - 15 (20) m tall, without leaf sheaths about 20 - 30 cm in diam., with persistent, diamond-shaped leaf bases; stem base with mass of roots. Crown hemispherical, with more than 50 leaves. Leaves about 1.5 x 4 m long; leaf sheath reddish-brown, fibrous; pseudopetiole 40 - 50 cm long x 3 - 5 cm wide at base; acanthophylls closely inserted, arranged in several planes, about 13 - 18 on each side of rachis, conduplicate, yellow-green, very sharp, 4 - 14 cm long; leaflets irregularly fascicled, arranged in several planes, about 80 - 90 on each side of rachis, concolorous, greyish-green, often waxy, very sharp, 18 - 35 x 1.2 - 2.4 cm. Staminate inflorescences to 25 per plant, erect, not extending far beyond prophyll; prophyll coriaceous, bright orange internally when young, splitting first adaxially (side adjacent to trunk), 25 - 40 x 6 - 15 cm; peduncle 20 - 30 x 1.2 - 2.2 cm; rachis 13 - 18 cm long with numerous, congestedly arranged rachillae, each 4 - 16 cm long. Staminate flowers white-yellow, musty-scented; calyx a deep cupule to 2 - 2.5 mm high with 3 poorly defined lobes; petals 3 (rarely 4), apices obtuse, slightly hooded, 6 - 10 x about 3 mm; anthers 3 - 4 mm long. Pistillate inflorescences erect, arching on fruit maturation; peduncle green and upright, becoming golden-orange and arching on fruit maturation, to about 90 x 2 cm; prophyll papery, short, splitting twice between margins, about 24 x 5 cm; rachillae arranged in irregular horizontal whorls, about 50 - 60 in number, yellow-green in colour, about 8 - 34 cm long. Pistillate flowers creamy-white, about 40 - 50 mostly restricted to distal half of rachilla; calyx cupule 1.5 - 2.5 mm high; petals 3 - 4 x 4 - 5 mm. Fruit obovoid, 15 - 25 x 12 mm, ripening from green to orange-yellow, with mesocarp moderately fleshy and astringent. Seed obovoid with rounded apices, 15 - 20 x 7 - 10 mm; embryo lateral opposite raphe; endosperm homogeneous. (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb. Editing by edric. Phoenix sylvestris was first described as Katou-Indel by Rheede (1678 - 1703) in Hortus Indicus Malabaricus, upon which Linnaeus' description of Elate sylvestris in Musa Cliffortianus (Linnaeus 1736) was entirely based. The description of Elate sylvestris in Species Plantarum (Linnaeus 1753), comprised two elements: Palma dactylifera minor humilis sylvestris fructu minori, Hin Ind. Zeylaneus of Hermann (1698) in Paradisi Batavi Prodomus 361, and Palma sylvestris malabarica, folio acuto, fructu prunifacie in Historia Plantarum 1364 (Ray 1686 - 1704). The latter was based entirely on Rheede's Katou-indel. Roxburgh (1832), in transferring Elate sylvestris to Phoenix, failed to acknowledge these two elements and based Phoenix sylvestris solely upon Katou-indel. The name Phoenix sylvestris is thus correctly typified by Katou-indel of Rheede's Hortus Indicus Malabaricus. Hamilton (1827) recognised the two elements in Elate sylvestris but it was Martius (1823 - 53) in Historia Naturalis Palmarum who formally separated them. Palma dactylifera minor humilis sylvestris fructu minore, Hin Ind. Zeylaneus of Hermann was included by Martius in P. pusilla Gaertn., and Katou-indel was taken to refer only to P. sylvestris Roxb. (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb. |
Culture
Cold Hardiness Zone: 8b. Growth Rate: Slow to moderate. Survival Temperature: 22ºF/-5.5ºC. Salt Tolerance: Moderate to high. Drought Tolerance: High. Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable. Light Requirements: High. Nutritional Requirements: Moderate.
Light Req: Full sun to Partial shade.
Water Req: Moderate. The Sylvester Date Palm can withstand a drought for a short period of time. Grows best in moist but well drained soil.
Comments and Curiosities
Etymology: Phoenix is the Latin term for the Greek word that means "date palm." The species name sylvestris, translates from the Latin term for "of the forest."
Uses: In India, sugar and alcohol are made from wild date palm flowers, and jelly is made from the fruit. (edis.ifas.ufl.edu)
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Horticultural: The wild date palm is an attractive landscape specimen with its blue-green leaves, textured trunk, and yellow inflorescences. The canopy of this palm is dense, exhibits a round shape, and can provide light shade. This palm will thrive and show the best growth when it is planted in direct sunlight. Wild date palm is drought tolerant and prefers well-drained sandy soils, but it grows better when regularly watered. This species is susceptible to lethal yellowing disease (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp146), so it is best to avoid planting wild date palm where the disease is known to be present. (edis.ifas.ufl.edu) Phenology: The flowering season of this plant was observed to be from the first to the third week of August in the case of plants growing around Jabli. The fruits take almost one year for attaining maturity. The ripening starts from the first week of June and continues till the middle of July. In its native habitat P. sylvestris often flowers at the beginning of the hot season from January to April, and fruits ripen from October to December. A wild date-tree yields very much less than a cultivated date-palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). The trees of Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. under Jabli conditions were found to yield only about 7 kg of fruit. The fruits are harvested unripe by removing the whole bunches. They are then kept covered with wheat straw. They ripen within two three days. The fruits are seedy, and the seed occupies more than half of the fruit. The fruits are sweet. The overall fruit quality is good. (hort.purdue.edu) Chemical composition of the fruit: The major chemical constituents of the fruit pulp were found to be as follows: Moisture, 66.7%; total soluble solids, 18.42%; sugars, 18.42 (mostly reducing)%; vitamin C, 9.42 mg per hundred g; pectin, 0.51%; protein, 1.12%; ash, 3.261%; phosphorus, 0.042%; potassium,.0.549%; calcium, 0.139% magnesium, 0.006% and iron, 0.007%. (hort.purdue.edu) Medicinal properties: The fruit is cooling, oleaginous, cardiotonic, fattening, constipative, good in heart complaints, abdominal complaints, fevers, vomiting and loss of consciousness. The juice obtained from the tree is considered to be a cooling beverage. The roots are used to stop toothache. The fruit pounded and mixed with almonds, quince seeds, pistachio nuts and sugar, form a restorative remedy (Kirtikar and Basu. 1935). The central tender part of the plant is used in gonorrhoea (Watt, 1892). (hort.purdue.edu) Utilization: The sweet fruits of this plant are eaten by all. However, the rains at the time of ripening cause much damage to the fruits. Mites were also observed to be an important pest of wild dates, causing a lot of damage to the fruits. The trunk is used by the villagers in the construction of houses, it forming the supporting beam of the roof. Halved trunks are used for diverting the water into the turbines of water-mills. The leaves are used for making brooms, fans, floor mats, etc. The plants growing in the plains yield a good amount of juice which is used for making toddy and jaggery. In India, sugar and alcohol are made from wild date palm flowers, and jelly is made from the fruit. The juice, as such, can also be drunk. The tree provides a good fodder for milk cattle and is believed to increase the fat content of milk. (hort.purdue.edu) In parts of India, particularly West Bengal, sweet sap is tapped from the stem of P. sylvestris and drunk fresh or processed into a dark sugar (gur or jaggery) or alcoholic toddy (Davis 1972). The astringent fruits are rarely eaten fresh but are processed as jellies and jams. Blatter (1926) noted the fruits to comprise one constituent of a natural restorative, and the seeds when ground up with the root of Achyranthes aspera L. (Amaranthaceae) and chewed with betel leaves (Areca catechu L., Palmae) are considered a remedy for 'ague'. (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb. Common Name: INDIA. Ita chettu (Telinga), [Beccari (1890)]; khurjjuri, kharjura, madhukshir (Sanscrit), khujjoor, kajar, kejur (Bengali), khaji, sendhu, kejur, khajur, khaji, salma, thalma, thakil (Hindi), ichal, kullu, ichalu mara (Kanara), khejuri (Uriya), itchumpannay, periaitcham, itcham-nar, itham pannay (Tamil), ita, pedda-ita, itanara, ishan-chedi (Telinga); eechamaram, periya eecham (Tamil); kubong, rotong (Lepchas). PAKISTAN. Khaji, khajoor; taree-khajoor. (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb. "This is a striking Phoenix, though often confused with Phoenix canariensis. It has more blue-green leaves with more visciously spiney leaflet tips, and slightly more plumose looking. Finding 'true' undiluted species is not that easy, but they are around. I have had several seedlings and they are particularly slow, but forgiving palms (take 'unintentional' drought well)." (Geoff Stein)
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- IMAGE GALLERY
Phoenix sylvestris grown by Bob Hastings (pictured), CA.
Phoenix sylvestris trunk, CA.
New Caledonia, photo by Ben
Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. Photo by Dr. Sasha Barrow, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. Photo by Dr. Sasha Barrow, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. Photo by Dr. Sasha Barrow, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Photo by mustangman826
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, California. Photo by Geoff Stein
Photo by mustangman826
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Over Trimmed Young p. sylvestris" Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Our Phoenix Sylvestris palm that under went trimming after a gap of nearly 8 months.Because i could not find any able person who could do it.The work is done using non mechanized tool i.e just a cutting knife.Since the palm had lots of dried leaves and drooping leaves around it,we decided to give it a nice hair cut,So that for the next 6 to 7 months we won't need any person to climb this Silver date palm to clean it." Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Our Phoenix Sylvestris palm that under went trimming after a gap of nearly 8 months.Because i could not find any able person who could do it.The work is done using non mechanized tool i.e just a cutting knife.Since the palm had lots of dried leaves and drooping leaves around it,we decided to give it a nice hair cut,So that for the next 6 to 7 months we won't need any person to climb this Silver date palm to clean it." Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Our Phoenix Sylvestris palm that under went trimming after a gap of nearly 8 months.Because i could not find any able person who could do it.The work is done using non mechanized tool i.e just a cutting knife.Since the palm had lots of dried leaves and drooping leaves around it,we decided to give it a nice hair cut,So that for the next 6 to 7 months we won't need any person to climb this Silver date palm to clean it." Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Our Phoenix Sylvestris palm that under went trimming after a gap of nearly 8 months.Because i could not find any able person who could do it.The work is done using non mechanized tool i.e just a cutting knife.Since the palm had lots of dried leaves and drooping leaves around it,we decided to give it a nice hair cut,So that for the next 6 to 7 months we won't need any person to climb this Silver date palm to clean it." Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Here's a portion of the tool that the palm cutter had brought.. one knife, one hip belt, and one belt to keep his two feet together, and a small can to keep his knife in, tied around his waist." Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Our Phoenix Sylvestris palm that under went trimming after a gap of nearly 8 months.Because i could not find any able person who could do it.The work is done using non mechanized tool i.e just a cutting knife.Since the palm had lots of dried leaves and drooping leaves around it,we decided to give it a nice hair cut,So that for the next 6 to 7 months we won't need any person to climb this Silver date palm to clean it." Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Our Phoenix Sylvestris palm that under went trimming after a gap of nearly 8 months.Because i could not find any able person who could do it.The work is done using non mechanized tool i.e just a cutting knife.Since the palm had lots of dried leaves and drooping leaves around it,we decided to give it a nice hair cut,So that for the next 6 to 7 months we won't need any person to climb this Silver date palm to clean it." Photo by Kris Achar
India. "Our Phoenix Sylvestris palm that under went trimming after a gap of nearly 8 months.Because i could not find any able person who could do it.The work is done using non mechanized tool i.e just a cutting knife.Since the palm had lots of dried leaves and drooping leaves around it,we decided to give it a nice hair cut,So that for the next 6 to 7 months we won't need any person to climb this Silver date palm to clean it." Photo by Kris Achar
Preparing to collect sap at Jessore, Bangladesh.
Wild Date Palm Phoenix sylvestris at Purbasthali in Bardhaman District of West Bengal, India. Photo by J.M. Garg
Female flowers. Wild Date Palm Phoenix sylvestris at Narendrapur near Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Photo by J.M. Garg
Male flowers. Wild Date Palm at Narendrapur near Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Photo by J.M. Garg
Wild Date Palm planted in the Yucatán. Photo by Jim Conrad
Wild Date Palm planted in the Yucatán. Closeup of the fruits. Photo by Jim Conrad
Wild Date Palm Phoenix sylvestris at Purbasthali in Bardhaman District of West Bengal, India. Photo by J.M. Garg
Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Photo by J.M. Garg.
Wild Date Palm Phoenix sylvestris at Narendrapur near Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Photo by J.M. Garg
Ichalu tree. (Arecaceae, Phoenix sylvestris). Photo by HPNadig
Joggers Park, Kalyani Nagar, Pune, MH, India. Photo by Manisha Gutman
Photo-mgonline
Naples, Italy. Photo by Angelo Porcelli
Photo by Miguel Basomba
Photo-palmantic.com
Photo-Ron's Landscaping, Ron's front yard
Photo by Kristi Berg
South Allapattah, Florida. Photo by Kyle Wicomb
Photo-sylvestertreefarm.com
Photo: datepalm.com
Photo: datepalm.com
Photo: datepalm.com
Photo: datepalm.com
Photo: datepalm.com
palmco.com
palmco.com
Photo: by Ganesh Mani Pradhan, Kalimpong, West Bengal, India - palmsociety.org
Photo: plantant.com
Photo: plantant.com
Photo: sylvestertreefarm.com
Photo: ayurvediccommunity.com
Photo: ayurvediccommunity.com
Photo: anglerlawn.com
Photo: thsgarden.wordpress.com
Photo: thsgarden.wordpress.com
Photo: thsgarden.wordpress.com
Photo: thsgarden.wordpress.com
Photo: thsgarden.wordpress.com
Photo: palmsocietysouthtexas.org
coldhardypalms.net|Photo: coldhardypalms.net
Photo: palmboutique.wordpress.com
Photo: laureloaksnursery.com
Photo: fourjustinfarms.com
Photo: Jungle Music Palms & Cycads.com
Photo: fourjustinfarms.com
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. line of empty pots for collecting sap of khejur tree (Phoenix sylvestris) Photo by Dr. Sanjay Thakur.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. Pot for collecting sap of khejur palm (Phoenix sylvestris). Photo by Dr. Sanjay Thakur.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. Wild Date Palms or Khejur (Phoenix sylvestris) being tapped for palm juice for making palm-sugar. Photo by Dr. Sanjay Thakur.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. Wild Date Palms or Khejur (Phoenix sylvestris) being tapped for palm juice for making palm-sugar. Photo by Dr. Sanjay Thakur.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. Sugar Date Palms or Khejur (Phoenix sylvestris). Photo by Dr. Sanjay Thakur.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. A boy is taking pots of khejur sap to make khejur-gud. Photo by Dr. Sanjay Thakur.
Phoenix Sylvestris Roxb in kutch, Gujarat, India. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. Making of khejur gud Jaggery in progress - boiling sap of sugar Date Palm tree (Phoenix sylvestris). Photo by Dr. Sanjay Thakur.
Phoenix Sylvestris Roxb sold on the streets of Bhuj, kutch, Gujarat, India. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
Phoenix Sylvestris Roxb sold on the streets of Bhuj, kutch, Gujarat, India. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
Phoenix Sylvestris Roxb, Hindi Khajur in kutch India. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
Form. Phoenix Sylvestris. Wild Date palm. Family: Arecaceae. A large palm with spine-tipped leaflets. Photo by Dr. Vivek Gour-Broome. 2000.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India.
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. khajura bunch of red dates phoenix sylvestris. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. khajura bunch of red dates phoenix sylvestris. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
Bankuda, West Bengal, India. Red and yellow dates palm ; Botanical name Phoenix Sylvestris Roxb ; Family Arecaceae Hindi Khajur sold streets Bhuj kutch. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
Fruits; khajura dates phoenix sylvestris roxb on white background. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
Fruits; khajura dates phoenix sylvestris roxb on white background. Photo: Dinodia Photos RF
mgonline.com
Photo: land8.com
Photo: plantant.com
Photo: Fish Branch Tree Farm.
Photo: Frisz Landscaping LLC.
Photo: A Quality First, Inc.
Ranthambore National Park, India. Photo: designgreenindia.blogspot.com
Photo: tampabaylandscaper.blogspot.com
Los Angeles aboretum (this is a true to species). Photo by Geoff Stein.
Phoenix Sylvestris is ready for export from GreenAsh International,Chennai/[email protected]
young palm in Los Angeles arboretum. Photo by Geoff Stein.
S.C. Hampton Hall Plantation Sales Office, and Toll Bros. Offices. recently pruned. by 1cros3nails4gvn
Photo by mustangman826
Photo by mustangman826
Photo by Mr_Monopoly
Photo: universalorlando.com
Photo: Jungle Music Palms & Cycads.com
Photo: Jungle Music Palms & Cycads.com
Photo: Jungle Music Palms & Cycads.com
Photo: Jungle Music Palms & Cycads.com
"This Phoenix sylvestris is growing at a McGarbage restaurant on the south side of Orlando FL near the tourist area . It has branched into 3 heads. Two of these heads are now branching themselves. Its a very unique specimen." Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botamist Eric S.
"This Phoenix sylvestris is growing at a McGarbage restaurant on the south side of Orlando FL near the tourist area . It has branched into 3 heads. Two of these heads are now branching themselves. Its a very unique specimen." Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botamist Eric S.
"This Phoenix sylvestris is growing at a McGarbage restaurant on the south side of Orlando FL near the tourist area . It has branched into 3 heads. Two of these heads are now branching themselves. Its a very unique specimen." Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botamist Eric S.
"This Phoenix sylvestris is growing at a McGarbage restaurant on the south side of Orlando FL near the tourist area . It has branched into 3 heads. Two of these heads are now branching themselves. Its a very unique specimen." Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botamist Eric S.
"This Phoenix sylvestris is growing at a McGarbage restaurant on the south side of Orlando FL near the tourist area . It has branched into 3 heads. Two of these heads are now branching themselves. Its a very unique specimen." Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botamist Eric S.
"This Phoenix sylvestris is growing at a McGarbage restaurant on the south side of Orlando FL near the tourist area . It has branched into 3 heads. Two of these heads are now branching themselves. Its a very unique specimen." Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botamist Eric S.
Photo: fruitipedia.com
Photo: southeastgrowers.com
Rare Palm Seeds.com
Rare Palm Seeds.com
Rare Palm Seeds.com
Photo: idtools.org
Rare Palm Seeds.com
Photo: idtools.org
Photo: idtools.org
Photo: idtools.org
Photo: idtools.org
Image Text: idtools.org
Image Text: fruitipedia.com
Image Text: fruitipedia.com
Image Text: fruitipedia.com
Image Text: covefarms.com
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_female_flowers_at_Narendrapur_W_IMG_4056.jpg)
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External Links
- Glossary of Palm Terms
- MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN
- "Just To Be Clear"
- http://www.palmantics.com/palms/description_phoenix_sylvestris/
- http://idtools.org/id/dried_botanical/factsheet.php?name=Phoenix+sylvestris
- https://youtu.be/46276XfbZSU
- Phoenix Sylvestris Palm Trimming work _ July2017 India. Photo by Kris Achar.
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
S.C. Barrow, A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae: Coryphoideae). 1998. A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae: Coryphoideae). Kew Bulletin, Vol. 53, No. 3 (1998), pp. 513-575.
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.
