Common Name: Senegal Date Palm

General Information

Phoenix reclinata is a large, clumping, evergreen palm producing a number of stems up to about 10 metres tall and often forming thickets[, ]. The slender, unbranched stems, which can be up to 25cm in diameter (excluding leaf sheaths), are often bent over[]. The stem is topped by a rosette of 15 - 30 spiny leaves that can each be up to 2.7 metres long[].
An important part of the local economy, the plant is widely utilized by local people as a source of food and a range of commodities[]. A very effective ornamental tree when planted in a lawn[, ].
Phoenix reclinata is a common palm with a wide geographic distribution. Although it is locally facing habitat loss, its overall extent of occurrence (EOO) is large, and the species' distribution includes 86 protected areas. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2016)[].
The plant has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized as a weed in Bermuda[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - widely spread from Senegal to Somalia and south to South Africa and Madagascar

Habitat

Open forests, savannah woodland or low scrub thickets, usually in alluvial soils in positions such as near the banks of streams where there is permanent access to ground water, even if deep down.

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 3,000 metres, it also grows well in cultivation in Mediterranean-type climates. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 15 - 35°c[]. Although very susceptible to frost damage when young, plants become hardier as they grow older and when mature can tolerate occasional moderate frosts[, , , ]. The plant prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 500 - 5,000mm[].
Plants grow well in full sun, even when small[]. Plants are tolerant of light shade, though they will not fruit when growing in such a position. Tolerates deep shade[]. Requires a light moist but very well-drained soil in a sheltered position[]. Plants tolerate seasonally waterlogged soils in the wild[, ]. Succeeds in dry soils and is also tolerant of poor soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5[].
Phoenix species are quite liable to hybridize where the various species meet as a result of cultivation[].
This species hybridizes very freely with P. sylvestris and P. roebelenii[].
Palms usually have deep penetrating root systems and generally establish best when planted out at a young stage. However, older plants are substantially more cold tolerant than juvenile plants[]. In areas at the limit of their cold tolerance, therefore, it is prudent to grow the plants in containers for some years, giving them winter protection, and only planting them into their permanent positions when sheer size dictates[]. This species can be cultivated successfully for a long time in containers[]. It can also be transplanted even when very large[]. Although the thick fleshy roots are easily damaged and/or desiccated, new roots are generally freely produced. It is important to stake the plant very firmly to prevent rock, and also to give it plenty of water until re-established - removing many of the leaves can also help[].
It takes 5 - 6 years from seed before the plant will have produced a full head of leaves and it will not start to form a trunk until this stage is reached[].
Plants often form suckers around their base[].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. Sweet and tasty[]. There is only a very thin layer of flesh on each fruit[]. Much relished by the local peoples, they can also be used to make a wine[]. They apparently taste quite similar to the commercial date[]. The pale yellow to red fruit is up to 17mm long and 13mm wide[]. It is borne in large, drooping bunches[].

The heart of the crown is sometimes eaten[, ]. Eating this will cause the eventual death of the individual stem since it is unable to produce side branches[].

Children enjoy the gum produced by the roots[].

The seeds can be dried and ground into a flour[].
The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute[, ].

Palm wine is made from the sap[, , ].

Medicinal

The sap is used as a remedy against urinary infections[].

The spines apparently have traditional medicinal use[]. No more information is given[].
Parts of the tree are used as a remedy for pleurisy[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is planted to prevent soil erosion[].

Other Uses

The fibres of young, unexpanded leaves in immature palms are used to make mats, rope, baskets and string[].
The fibres from the crushed stem are used for the manufacture of scrubbing brushes, brooms etc[, ].
The midribs of mature leaves are used to make baskets and for roofing material[].
Whole leaves are used as door entrances and covers, or as fans for stoking fires, repelling insects etc[].
The stems are also used for the construction of livestock enclosures, houses, bridges, walls and fencing[].

Brooms for sweeping around rural dwellings are made from the dried inflorescences[, ].

A useful dye is obtained from the leaves[, ].

Tannin is obtained from the roots[, ].

A gum is obtained from the roots[].

Special skirts made from the leaves are worn by Xhosa boys when undergoing their initiation rites[].

The wood, which is resistant to white ants and fungi, is used for hut building, making doors, windows and fence posts[].
The stems are used to make charcoal[, ].

Propagation

Seed - probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse, otherwise sow the seed as soon as you obtain it. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 months. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors.
Division of suckers[].