Date Palm — Growing reference
| Scientific name | Phoenix dactylifera |
|---|---|
| Seed germination (days) | 21–60 |
| Soil temperature for germination (°C) | 23.9–35 |
| First harvest or flowering (days) | 2190–3650 |
| Measured from | Transplant |
| Plant spacing (cm) | 457.2–914.4 |
| Mature height (cm) | 1219.2–2743.2 |
| Mature spread (cm) | 304.8–609.6 |
| USDA hardiness zones | 8–11 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water | Low |
| Sowing method | Transplant |
Growing directions
Dates are dioecious — you need a male tree to pollinate female trees, with one male sufficient for up to 50 females; commercial growers hand-pollinate by shaking male flower strands over female inflorescences in spring. Ripe dates require extremely hot, dry summers (110°F daytime heat preferred) with very low humidity during the ripening period — this limits quality fruit production in the continental U.S. almost entirely to the Coachella Valley and low desert Arizona. Offshoots from the base of female palms are the preferred planting material as they preserve the sex and fruit type of the parent; seed-grown palms yield 50% males and highly variable fruit. Harvest in fall when fruit reaches the desired stage: khalal (crisp, astringent), rutab (partly soft, sweet), or tamr (fully dried).
Source and local conditions
Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.
Source & verification
OpenPlantDB · CC0