Phoenix sylvestris aka Wild Date Palm

Phoenix sylvestris is an evergreen palm in the Arecaceae family. Its common names include wild date palm and silver date palm. Kew lists its native range as southwest India and Sri Lanka. Useful Tropical Plants gives a wider range, from Pakistan to Myanmar. It grows in open woods, grassland, and along river banks. Some wild sites flood from time to time.

This palm has one trunk and a rounded crown. Sources give usual heights of 33–60 feet [10–18.3 metres]. Some trees reach 66 feet [20 metres]. Garden spread reaches 10–15 feet [3–4.6 metres]. The trunk often widens at its base and keeps old leaf bases. Leaf scars make a diamond pattern along the trunk. The crown can hold more than 50 long, arching leaves. Each leaf measures about 5–13 feet [1.5–4 metres]. Spines grow near the leaf bases. Leaves vary in colour, from silver-blue to grey-green or blue-green.

Chicago Botanic Garden lists small white flowers in May and June. It describes separate male and female plants. Useful Tropical Plants also says the species is not self-fertile. This conflicts with PFAF's account of flowers with both sexes. Female plants bear edible, oval fruits that turn purple-black when ripe. PFAF rates the fruit poorly as food. People also collect sap from the unopened flower clusters. They boil it into syrup or ferment it into alcohol. This palm has served as an important sugar source in Bengal.

Grow it in full sun with moist soil that drains well. PFAF lists sandy, loamy, and clay soils as suitable. It also accepts mildly acid through mildly alkaline soil. Mature palms tolerate drought and frost better than young growth. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA zones 9–11 and moderate watering. Useful Tropical Plants warns that young growth can suffer near 30°F [-1°C]. Most sources describe fast growth, though PFAF calls it slow. Seeds usually sprout within two to three months.

Gardeners use this palm as a specimen and street tree. Its pale leaves and broad crown suit large landscape plantings. PACSOA warns that hybridisation can make true seed hard to find. The supplied sources name no specific pests or diseases. PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants report no known hazards. The sharp leaf-base spines remain a physical concern. PFAF lists no known medicinal uses.