Phoenix dactylifera aka Date Palm

Phoenix dactylifera, also known as the date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family. It is cultivated for its edible sweet fruit, which is called dates. The species is widely grown across northern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Date trees can grow up to 30 meters in height, either growing singly or forming a clump with multiple stems from a single root system. The date fruit is oval-cylindrical, 3 to 7 centimeters long, and about 2.5 cm in diameter, with colors ranging from dark brown to bright red or yellow, depending on the variety. Dates are very sweet and contain 61-68% sugar by mass when dried, making them a popular dessert on their own or within confections. Dates have been cultivated in the Middle East and the Indus Valley for thousands of years and have archaeological evidence of cultivation in Arabia from the 6th millennium BCE. Today, the total annual world production of dates amounts to 8.5 million metric tons, with countries of the Middle East and North Africa being the largest producers and consumers. Dates are emblematic of oasis agriculture and highly symbolic in Muslim, Christian, and Jewish religions. Phoenix dactylifera L. fruits are a rich source of sugars, vitamins, fibers, minerals, and phenolic compounds having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They are also used for skincare, as a single-blinded, placebo control trial has shown that the Phoenix dactylifera L. extract (4%) is effective in cream form after one, two, three, four, six, and eight weeks of treatment. Prior to the study, the composition of the extract was analyzed to understand the underlying mechanisms by which the extract affects skin. As a houseplant, the date palm needs regular watering and abundant sunlight. They do best in well-draining soil and should be less than 3 feet from a window. If repotted each time it doubles in size, the plant shouldn't need added fertilizers.