The date palm produces the dates commonly eaten fresh or dried around the world.
Its scientific name is Phoenix dactylifera. Date palms have been cultivated in the Middle East and North Africa for thousands of years, and archaeological evidence suggests that domestication began in the ancient Near East. Dates provided a concentrated source of sugars and could be stored for long periods.
Date palms are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers generally grow on separate trees. Commercial orchards therefore often use selected male trees for pollination and female cultivars for fruit production. Many modern plantations also pollinate flowers by hand to improve yields.
Dates are not the same as coconuts or the fruits of oil palms. The familiar wrinkled fruits are usually dried dates, while some cultivars, such as Medjool, are sold soft and fresh. The palm also has major cultural and economic importance across desert regions.