Dwarf date palm, Pygmy date palm, Roebelen Date, Roebelin palm
Phoenix roebelenii
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A small palm. The trunk is slender and it grows about 2 m tall. It has a single trunk but forms clusters in the wild. The trunk is 10 cm across. It is covered with old leaf bases. The fronds are dark green and arch over. They form a feathery crown. The lower ones hang down. They are about 1.5 m long. The leaves are spiny. The leaflets are narrow and shiny green. They are evenly spaced and hang down. Plants are separately male and female. Both are needed for fruit. The flower stalks are produced among the leaves. The flowers are creamy yellow. The fruit are 12 mm long. The fruit are edible. They have a thin layer of edible flesh.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It suits coastal subtropical places. It also grows in Mediterranean and temperate regions. It can grow in sunny or shady locations. It is hardy and drought tolerant once established. It grows along the Mekong River. Wittunga Botanical Gardens. It suits plant hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Australia, China, Colombia, East Africa, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Laos (country/location of origin), Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Niue, North America, Pacific, SE Asia, South America, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Vietnam
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. Seed grow easily. They take 3 months to germinate.
Seedlings grow at a steady rate. The fruit weigh 0.2 g.