Date palm Phoenix (Phoenix), a genus of tree-like dioecious plants of the palm family. The trunks are covered with the remains of leaf petioles, at the top with thick crown feathery leaves. The flowers are wind-pollinated, unisexual, three-membered, in paniculate inflorescences. The fruit is a berry with a hard seed, edible in some species. over 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Actually Ph. dactylifera is the oldest cultivated plant of the dry subtropical regions of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Southern Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the right bank of the river. Ind. Unknown in the wild. The culture of F. has been known since the 7th millennium BC. e. in Sumer, Assyria and Ancient Egypt. Its trunks are straight, up to 15–20 m, diameter 80 cm, suckers form at the base. Leaves 4–6 long m. Fruits – Dates ,
oblong or oval, up to 7.5 long cm and diameter 3.5 cm, contain a large amount of nutrients, serve as food for the local population, and are exported. Iraq ranks first in date production (about 350 thousand). T). In the USSR, F. has been bred since 1939 in Turkmenistan (Kizyl-Atrek), where it bears fruit and can withstand short-term frosts down to – 14 °C. By tapping the tree trunks, sugary juice is obtained, from which wine is prepared, and the sugar is evaporated. Ph. sylvestris, cultivated in India, is also used as a sugar-bearing plant. Many types of F. p. are grown as ornamental plants. The most common in subtropical gardens and parks, including on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, Ph. canariensis with trunks 12–15 in height m and a crown of 150–200 leaves. To the south of Sochi it is found in plantings of Ph. reclinata from tropical Africa. Among the species cultivated in greenhouses is the decorative Ph. robeicnii, from the south of the Indochina Peninsula. Lit.: Alekseev V.P., Date palm, “Subtropical Crops”, 1959, No. 4. S. S. Morshchikhina.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .
Synonyms:See what “Date palm” is in other dictionaries:
- (Greek). Family tree palm trees Africa and Arabia, delivering fruits, wine, vinegar and palm cabbage. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. DATE PALM is a tall tree with a very long leaves,… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Date palm- Date palm. DATE PALM, genus of palm trees. Over 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Cultivated (since the 4th millennium BC for the sake of edible fruits (dates), especially often in the oases of the Sahara and other deserts. Many species... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (phoenix) a genus of palm trees. More than 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Cultivated (since the 4th millennium BC) for edible fruits (dates), especially often in the oases of the Sahara and other deserts. Many species are bred as ornamental... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Phoenix (Phoenix), genus of palm trees. Trunks with remains of leaf petioles, at the top a dense crown of feathery leaves. The flowers are unisexual (dioecious plants), wind-pollinated, in paniculate inflorescences. The fruit is a berry with a hard seed, edible in some species.… … Biological encyclopedic dictionary
Noun, number of synonyms: 1 phoenix (10) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Dictionary of synonyms
For the term "phoenix" see other meanings. ? Date palm ... Wikipedia
- (Phoenix dactylifera), a tree of the palm family, widely grown in hot, arid regions for its edible fruits. In economic importance it is second only to coconut tree. North Africa is considered the birthplace of the date palm and... Collier's Encyclopedia
- (Phoenix L.) genus of plants from the family. palms, subfamily Coryphinae. Partly trees, partly squat bushes, with pinnately divided leaves. Plants are dioecious. The calyx is goblet-shaped, there are 3 petals, in male flowers there are 6 stamens, in female flowers there are 6 staminodes and 3... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron
- (phoenix), a genus of palm trees. Over 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Cultivated (since the 4th millennium BC) for its edible fruits (dates), especially often in the oases of the Sahara and other deserts. Many species are bred as ornamental. * *… … Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (phoenix), a genus of palm trees. More than 15 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. Cultivated (since the 4th millennium BC) for edible fruits (dates), especially often in the oases of the Sahara and other deserts. Mn. species are bred as ornamental... Natural science. Encyclopedic Dictionary
Books
- Exotic plants in your home, Nikolai Azarushkin, Author, who has been interested in floriculture for many years, shares his growing experience exotic plants in room conditions. The book talks about decorative, fruit, spicy and aromatic… Category: Other plant species Series: Land of Soviets Publisher:
It is on Sukkot that people use the palm tree especially actively - they cover their lulavs and cover the roofs of huts with branches. Again, dates are also eaten, but they are eaten constantly and regardless of holidays.
In ancient times they said about this country that it flows with milk and honey. And many believe that this honey was made from dates.
The amazing story of the revival of the date palm in Eretz Israel
Palm trees were very common in Eretz Israel in ancient times in the Jordan Valley, in the Arava, on the Mediterranean coast.
In ancient Judea, date palms have been cultivated for a long time. They were cultivated for their fruits and shade, which protected them from the sun. In the Kingdom of Judah 3000 years ago until the beginning new era palm trees provided good harvest. They were mentioned in the Tanakh. King David named his daughter Tamar after the date palm (as it is called in Hebrew). They were a symbol of the well-being of Judea. There are images of palm trees on ancient coins.
Coin 54g. n. e. Hecht Museum (Haifa)
Coins from the time of the Bar Kokhba revolt, 131-135. n. e.., Hecht Museum (Haifa)
The date palm was a symbol of Judea in the eyes of the Romans after 70 AD. (Destruction of the Second Temple)
Therefore, around 70 AD. date groves were subjected to total destruction, because The Roman army sought to subjugate the territory of Judea. By 500 AD. The palm tree has become an endangered species.
During excavations at Masada, in the palace of Herod the Great, archaeologists discovered dates that were about 2000 years old. 
Here are some of them, they are in the Israel Antiquities Authority (רשות העתיקות), in the workshop for restoration and conservation of natural materials, which I wrote about.
We managed to germinate one seed, but, unfortunately, it was a male tree (date palms are dioecious plants) and it is not possible to get fruits and seeds from it. The variety was named "Methuselah". Maybe it will be crossed with modern varieties, but it will take a long time to get fruit. From here
Coin from the time of Emperor Nerva (97 AD). The coin was issued in honor of the abolition of the tax on date palms from the Jews. Hecht Museum (Haifa)
Perfume vessels in the shape of dates and grapes, 1st-2nd century AD. Found during archaeological excavations in Eretz Israel. From
Date stones from the time of the Bar Kochba revolt from the Cave of the Messages (מערת האיגרות), on the Hever stream, in the Dead Sea area. This is a cave in which Jews hid after the defeat of the Bar Kokhba revolt. Preserved due to the dryness of those places. From the exhibition "Bar Kochba, Historical Memory and Heroic Myth" at the Eretz Israel Museum.
After the capture of Judea by the Romans in the 1st century AD. a coin was issued where a sad captive Judea sits under a palm tree on the right, and a Roman soldier - the winner - on the left. The fact that a palm tree is depicted indicates its importance in those days.
Photographed in .
In honor of Israel's tenth anniversary, a commemorative medal was issued, as a contrast to the same palm tree, but with a child and a man planting a tree.
Unfortunately, by the 19th century, isolated trees remained in oases in the Negev and in the Arava, and in other areas in separate orchards. Mainly varieties whose date quality is not high.
Haifa and Mount Carmel. Artist V.M. Van De Velde, 1851
This image is located in Haifa, on the way to the entrance to Min. interior, where under each arch there is a view of Haifa or a map different years reflecting the history of the city.
Unfortunately, these images are made on ceramic tiles that are clearly not meant to be walked on.
In the 20s of the last century, with waves of settlement, the idea of reviving the cultivation of dates in Israel appeared.
This idea crystallized in Kibbutz Kinneret among several olim of the Second Aliyah, led by Ben-Zion Israel. At that time there was not the slightest idea about the cultivation of date palms, about cultivation in general, the entire market was filled with cheap fruits from neighboring countries - Egypt, Iraq and Persia.
B.-C. Israeli was true to his idea and attracted others to it. In 1924, Yosef Weitz brought several hundred cuttings from Egypt, and in the 1930s Ben-Zion traveled to neighboring Arab countries to buy cuttings.
Most palm-growing countries did not allow date palm cuttings to be exported on pain of death and treasured them as national treasures. Over several trips, Ben-Zion managed to remove several thousand root shoots from different countries. Only a fraction of them took root, most of them were planted in the Jordan Valley and Beit She'an area. From these cuttings grew trees, the descendants of which formed the basis of palm groves in settlements (until recently, when they began to propagate palm trees by obtaining cuttings from tissue cultures, palm trees were propagated by root/lateral shoots taken from the root of a mature female tree). With the formation of the state, Ben-Zion traveled around the Arava and there promoted the idea of planting date palms.
Mount Carmel, view from the bay. Artist D. Eisenberg, early 20th century.
There is one amazing story about the bringing of offspring, which was carried out by Ben-Zion Israeli and his comrades. This story is not described in the literature, and it is not mentioned on the Internet either. It was told to us on an excursion to the Tamar Bakfar farm (תמר בכפר) by our guide Inna Chernyavskaya, and she, in turn, heard it from sources close to the Kinneret Group, which included B.-Ts. Israel. This story dates back to 1932, when B.-Ts.Israeli and a friend went to Iraq together to pick up their offspring. They brought a lot of money from Palestine, which was needed to buy... carpets(!). Plants were rolled into carpets and exported under the guise of carpets!!! It was believed that the longer the carpet, the greater the chances of removing offspring. This business was then completely illegal and young people risked their lives for the sake of reviving the palm tree in Eretz Israel. At the border, one of the officials became very interested in the carpets and liked them. And he began to unwind the carpet. Can you imagine what the young envoy of the Yishuv was thinking about when they were unwinding the carpet?... probably about life and death... it’s good that the carpet was long enough and the official got tired of unwinding it. Thanks to this, both the offspring and the people remained safe and returned home to Mandatory Palestine.
Ben Zion's Last Ride
The offspring that grew up on the Dushan farm were planted a few years later in the Beit Shean area, in the Jordan Valley, in the Arava settlements: Yotvat, Elote, Ein Gedi, Ein Yahawe. Bad varieties and male trees were planted near the reactor in Dimona, so we can say that something from Iraq also reached the reactor, but not by rocket :)
In subsequent years, offspring from California, the Deglet Nur and Majhol varieties, were brought to Israel.
They came to the USA at the beginning of the 20th century. These good varieties They now grow in both the Arava and the Jordan Valley. They replaced many older varieties.
Trees over 40 years old are no longer suitable for industrial use and are gradually being transplanted from plantations to different places for decoration. Thus, trees from Iraq ended up at the airport. Ben-Gurion and Dimona.
The largest grove of date palms in Israel is located at Kibbutz Tirat Zvi in the Beit She'an Valley. There are 10,000 trees in the grove.
The date palm in recent Israeli history.
In 1917, Avshalom Fainberg, a resident of Hadera, one of the organizers of the anti-Turkish underground Jewish intelligence group NILI, together with Joseph Lishansky, went to Egypt to meet with the British, this time on foot. Near the British troop line in Sinai, Avshalom was shot dead by Bedouins. Nothing was known about the place of his burial.
The Bedouins knew about a certain “Jewish grave” on which a date palm grows, but attempts to find it were unsuccessful.
The Six Day War and the conquest of Sinai opened up new opportunities. Officer Shlomo ben Elkana set himself the task of finding the grave of Avshalom Feinberg. His stubbornness was viewed with suspicion, but he stated that he saw the transfer of his remains to his homeland as a national duty. He was able to find witnesses to the Bedouin attack on Fainberg and Lishansky, with their help find the grave, get advice from the Institute of Forensic Medicine about how to transfer the remains, and get everyone necessary permits and lead the work crew to the "Jewish Grave". A large palm tree grew on it, its roots intertwined with the bones of a person buried under it. This palm grew from dates lying in his pocket, and he received dates on the eve of the journey from Sarah Aaronson, whom he loved.
The palm tree that grew on the grave of Avshalom Fainberg. Photo by Benjamin Rana, 1931 from Wikipedia.
In 1967, after the Six-Day War, the remains of Avshalom Feinberg were buried with state honors on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
A fragment of the film about Feinberg and Palma, which sasha_gold removed from the TV screen. Thanks to him :)
Biological description:
The cultivated date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a dioecious plant up to 30 m high, but usually 8-10 m and up to 1.2 m in trunk diameter (usually up to 80 cm). The mother plant is surrounded by numerous offspring.
The crown of the palm tree consists of 40-60 large feathery leaves 4-6 m long. The leaves are wind and dust resistant.
Male plants form 6-8 male multi-flowered panicles in the leaf axils; female plants - powerful inflorescences - panicles with female flowers.
Even in ancient times, the Babylonians noticed that some palm trees produce dates, others do not, and that fruits are not formed without pollination. They called the palm that produces dates female, and the palm that produces only pollen male.
The fruit is a date, a single-seeded berry up to 7.5 cm long and 3.5 cm in diameter, oval or spherical, amber, reddish or dark in color. Used by the population in fresh and dry form.
On a palm tree, from 3-6 to 20 large clusters of fruits are simultaneously formed, each of which produces a harvest of 7 to 18 kg and an average of 250 kg of dates per tree.
Dates contain: water - 20%, proteins - 2.5, carbohydrates only 72.1, including mono- and disaccharides - 68.5, fiber - 3.6, ash - 1.5%, minerals (in mg /100 g): sodium - 32, potassium - 37, calcium - 65, magnesium - 69, phosphorus - 56, iron - 1.5; vitamins (in mg/100 g): beta-carotene - traces, B - 0.05, BP - 0.05, PP - 0.6, C-0.3; calorie content is higher than all other fruits - 281-340 kcal/100 g.
The longevity of palm trees is about 100 years or more; there are cases of 200-year-old plants bearing fruit.
The date palm is exceptionally tolerant of everyday hot solar radiation. However, in direct sunlight, the cells of the stem growth cone do not divide; growth resumes at night.
The palm tree is drought-resistant, heat-tolerant, and also salt-tolerant, and therefore is common in saline deserts, but it requires irrigation. Irrigation during the period of fruit growth and ripening increases yield. Plants develop powerful root system and are able to take moisture from deep soil horizons. Precipitation in the form of rain and fog during the flowering and fruiting period has a bad effect on the harvest.
The palm tree is a wind-pollinated plant and produces a huge amount of pollen. The longevity of the pollen is exceptional: if properly stored, it retains its fertilizing capacity for 10 years. In humid air, the pollen bursts and the fruits become slimy. The palm tree is able to tolerate rare short-term cold snaps and has poor frost resistance, since the entire trunk is covered with a thick cover of dead bases of leaf petioles; the growth cone of the stem, offspring and future inflorescences are securely covered.
The palm tree is a very hardy plant - this is what it looks like after the fire in Einot Tsukim.
Features of cultivation.
Planting material can be obtained from seeds, but this method is impractical. Trees grown from seeds begin to bear fruit after 6–10 years. In addition, 50% of the trees will be male and therefore unproductive. The generally accepted method is to plant root (lateral) suckers/shoots taken from the root of a mature female tree. They are always a genetic copy of the original tree. A young date palm can produce 3 (Barhee) to 30 (Medjoul) root shoots per year.
This is how root shoots/offshoots are obtained.
Root shoots are usually planted with roots. There is no need for a rootstock. It is now possible to obtain cuttings from tissue culture, but this method is used relatively recently.
Since the male and female inflorescences of the date palm develop on different trees To ensure cross-pollination, one male tree is planted for every 20-100 female trees.
The male tree is blooming.
An important technique increasing the yield of dates is artificial pollination or additional pollination of female inflorescences. For these purposes, even ancient gardeners stored male inflorescences in case of unfavorable years for flowering and stored them for several years in bags made of linen fabric. Artificial pollination is carried out by cutting off the male inflorescences after opening the involucre and shaking off the pollen from them over the flowering female panicles; You can also hang male inflorescences in the crowns of female trees.
In our dry climate, palm trees are regularly pruned at certain times so that the plant requires less water. Special machines are used for this.
With the help of such a machine you can get to the top of a palm tree.
And this is how it was done in the 30s and 40s of the 20th century. "Work in a palm grove", Kinneret Group, photographer Naftali Openheim,
This is how it was done in Kibbutz Dgania, 40-50s of the last century (?)
For long-term storage and export, the fruits are dried in the sun or in dryers. Date juice is produced from the fruits. Dates are stored at 2.2-3.3°C for 2 to 14 months (depending on the variety).
Dates grow directly in mesh bags, so they are protected from birds and pests. In addition, the bags are convenient for manual assembly dates.
The red palm weevil poses a terrible threat to palm trees. 
The red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a terrible palm pest. It can fly 30-40 km a day in search of suitable palm tree, lays its eggs on a tree and the caterpillars begin to eat the palm tree from the inside. There are many trees in Israel that have died from weevils and fallen over. Researchers are trying to answer two questions:
-how to detect a tree infected with a weevil early enough to save it,
-how to destroy a caterpillar inside a tree without damaging the tree.
So far, we have been able to learn to identify diseased trees using thermal imaging from airplanes and with the help of specially trained dogs that distinguish the smell of waste products of weevil caterpillars and with this help find diseased trees.
Varieties
In total there is a huge number of varieties, according to some sources 1500, according to others 5000.
The main variety in North Africa is Deglet, and in California - Deglet Noor and Zahdi. In both regions, and throughout the world, it is believed that highest quality Possesses the Medjoul variety. In Israel, the main variety is Medjoul.
The varieties are combined into 2 groups: with juicy and dry fruits.
Dry dates are half-dried after harvest; Juicy dates have a thin skin that is protected from evaporation, so the fruit pulp retains a syrupy and jelly-like consistency for a long time. The consistency of the pulp is determined by the moisture and sugar content. In this regard, soft, semi-dry and dry varieties are distinguished. Date ripening begins with a change in color and the appearance of yellow and red colors on the skin. At this time, the concentration of sugar increases, and in the end it reaches a maximum. At this time, the date begins to lose water through the pores in the skin, and the fruit becomes softer. The color changes to different shades from brown to black. Thus the fruit reaches maturity and at this time it is harvested to produce “wet” dates - תמר לח
Additional water treatment and the fruit becomes dried.
The most common variety in the Middle East is Hillavi. It occupies an intermediate position between soft and semi-dry varieties. Resistant to rain and high humidity air, and therefore promising for humid tropical regions (India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, etc.). The fruits are suitable for consumption when unripe. Besides those mentioned, the most important varieties are Khadrawi, Zaidi, Hayani.
Varieties grown in Israel
There are 20 varieties of dates in Israel, only 7 of which are grown for industrial purposes. Varieties differ from each other in size, color, pulp and sweetness.
The most favorite variety is majkhol - מג"הול Medjoul Medjoul. This is a very large date, “fleshy”, delicate taste, sweet. It is very suitable for stuffing with meat. Recently, Israeli majkhol has begun to sell well abroad, especially in England.
A huge majhol date is in my hand.
Another variety worth looking for in stores is Deglet Noor 
This is the most widespread variety in the world, it comes from Tunisia and is distinguished by its sweetness. The fruits are sensitive to rain and high humidity and withstand storage well.
It is good to use for baking, or just eat it, replacing the pecan pit.
Fresh yellow dates in our stores are of the Abragi variety (הברהי), sold on branches. On sale before Rosh Hashanah. Dates are round and hard, and are tart and sweet before ripening.
The exact ripening period of this date is very short and it is very difficult to catch. Therefore, it is recommended to freeze it in the freezer to speed up ripening. Thus, it turns out that each date turns into an individual, delicate natural sorbet. Another recipe from savta
: dates can be heated in a microgal and they also immediately become amazingly tasty. You can make something like jam out of them in a blender and take it for tea instead of sugar. Dates do not raise sugar levels.
These are my dates from the freezer
Khiani (חיאני) or Jordanian date, popularly known as “wet date” (תמר לח), has a sweetish taste and is usually eaten after being frozen for a long time. Other well-known commercially available varieties: Khalawi (חלאווי), Khadrawi (חדראווי) Khadrawy, Zahidi (זהידי), Dari (דרי) and Amri (אמרי)
Zahidi (Zahidi- זהידי) – the most famous variety, medium size, distinguished by golden brown fruits. Belongs to the category of semi-dry dates. They are collected at different stages of ripeness: hard, semi-soft and soft. These dates store well, although they are of less culinary value than other varieties.
Khadrawy dates are very aromatic and ripen early.
Story
The date palm has nourished many ancient civilizations. It made human life possible in the deserts of North Africa and Western Asia. This is the oldest fruit plant began to be cultivated in Sumer, Assyria, Babylon, and Ancient Egypt in the 4th millennium BC. for the edible fruit of dates. Thanks to this palm tree, oasis farming became possible - it provided shade for other crops.
Excavation data indicate that ancient peoples worshiped the date palm nine centuries ago.
The Phoenicians, famous for their long journeys across Mediterranean Sea, got their name from the dates they took with them on the road. They brought dates to the colony they founded in North Africa - Carthage. From here the date palm reached the Sahara.
For many millennia, the life of the peoples inhabiting North Africa and Asia Minor depended on the date palm, the only tree growing in the desert.
The Roman author of the 1st century AD, botanist and zoologist Pliny the Elder, wrote about “vast” forests of date palms that at one time stretched from the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) in the north to the Dead Sea in the south of the country.
Pliny described Judaean dates as unusually tasty and especially large. They also had healing properties. For example, they were used to treat “spitting up blood” - tuberculosis.
The importance of the date palm in the economy of ancient Israel could have been much greater if dates had grown well throughout the country. But they needed heat and water, and therefore their plantations were concentrated on the Mediterranean coast and, especially, in the Jordan Valley and on the shores of the Dead Sea, in places where fresh springs come to the surface. Like grapes and figs, dates were consumed fresh and dried. Dates were pressed in the same way into loaves for long storage and use on hikes. Nowadays, pilots and submariners are given chocolate with them; it is high in calories, and even at a relatively low large quantities able to give new strength. Previously, this function was performed by dvash - pressed dried raisins, figs and dates.
Her image was minted on coins, and ornaments in the form of a date palm adorned synagogues and houses. This tree also had purely economic uses. Dried dates were a very profitable export item. Date palm branches were used to make roofs for temporary buildings, as well as for verandas, balconies and gazebos in areas where there is almost no rain.
Logs were made from the trunk, and if the softer central part was cut down, pipes for water could be made. The trunk of a palm tree is covered with coarse plant fiber, and its individual “threads” intersect, as in real fabric woven by man. This fiber was used to make ropes, baskets and hats. By the way, this is the oldest fiber used by humans. An eerie archaeological find has been discovered in caves near the Dead Sea: a human skull covered with resin, and on it a mesh made of date palm fiber. This skull dates back to the very beginning of the Bronze Age. It is possible that natural fabric-like fibers prompted people in such an early era to think that fabrics could be created artificially.
Palm tree in Jewish tradition.
Our sages liken the people of Israel to a date palm, all parts of which have a use: its fruits are edible; young shoots are used as lulavs; branches serve as coverings for huts that are built on the holiday of Sukkot; ropes are made from the fibers of the trunk, and the wood is used in the construction of houses. It’s the same with the people of Israel - not a single Jew is “superfluous”, everyone fulfills his task. And the sages also say: the date seed is like a heart, and the date has only one; Likewise, the sons of Israel - the whole people have one heart, and it is turned to the Most High (Talmud, tractate Sukah, 456).
"For God your God is leading you to a good land, a land of streams of water, springs and springs flowing (from the land) in valleys and mountains. A land of wheat and barley and grapes and figs and pomegranates, a land olive oil and (from the fruits of the date palm) honey" (Devarim 8:8).
Lulav are young shoots of the date palm that have not yet had time to bloom, a symbol of beauty and righteousness. On the holiday of Sukkot, Jews held palm branches in their hands, and during ceremonial processions they covered the path with these branches. “And the Lord said to Moses: Speak to the children of Israel as follows: On the fifteenth day of the seventh month of this, the Feast of Sukkot is seven days for the Lord... But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather the fruits of the land, you shall celebrate the Feast of the Lord for seven days: on the first day and on the eighth day rest. And take for yourself on the first day the fruit of the beautiful tree of etrog (a type of citrus fruit), branches of palm trees, a branch of the thick-leaved tree of adas (myrtle), and willows that grow along the rivers, and rejoice before the Lord.
seven days by your God." (Vayikra, 23:33-34, 23:40).
On the façade of the building that once housed the Anglo-Palestine Bank in Haifa are medallions with symbolic images from ancient coins dating back to the Bar Kokhba revolt and the Second Temple. Construction of the beginning 20 years of the last century. Architect Alexander Berwald.
The middle image is a palm tree, a repetition of the ancient coin that is shown at the beginning of the post, and now exists on the modern 10 shekel coin. and on the old 10 agorot. On the right is an image of the Temple, and on the left is a vine.
In the Tanakh, Eretz Israel is called “a land flowing with milk and honey” (“Shemot” 3:8). In the above lines, honey refers to date syrup. The palm tree's beautiful shape and height have made it a popular motif in art and literature. Palm leaves were carried in triumphal processions...
The palm relief could be seen in the Temple and in the synagogues. After the conquest of the Jewish state, the Romans stamped on coins the image of a woman sitting in mourning under a palm tree - this was a symbol of defeated Judea. During the biblical period, the palm tree symbolized beauty, grace and fertility.
Dates, which have taste but no smell, are compared to Jews who are proficient in the Torah but do not do good deeds. Dates are the sweetest fruit, and in the land of Israel, juice (date honey) literally oozed from them. The Talmud tells a story about a wise man who came to the land of Israel and saw goats grazing under a date palm tree. The goats were so
so fat that their milk dripped onto the ground and mixed with the juice dripping from the dates. And he exclaimed: “Indeed, here is a land flowing with milk and honey!”
“This camp of yours is like a date palm...” (Song of Songs, 7:8) The girl in the Song of Songs symbolizes the people of Israel, and the tall, stately date palm became the emblem of the country and its pride.
Palm trees and the 20th century.
The artist Arik Gil created wonderful bas-reliefs for the building.
The largest one meets us above front door. It depicts the meeting of continents, Asia and Africa. The palm tree in the middle symbolizes Eretz Israel.
"Palm House" or "Beit Tamar" in Hebrew, built in 1922 in Nachalat Binyamin by the architect Yoshua Zvi Tabachnik.
The artist was very fond of palm trees. He left us palm trees from the early 20th century.
Image of a palm tree from a Torah scroll case, Lebanon, ca. 1920..
Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
Israeli coin from 1974, repeats the coins of antiquity.
Drawing by Aharon Alevi (1887-1957) "Eretz Israel". An image of the seven fruits with which the Almighty blessed the Land of Israel. Photographed at Beit Guvrin.
Modern mosaic.
Dates and politics
Egyptian date traders annually prepare a traditional surprise for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan - the most expensive and cheapest varieties of dates, which serve as a kind of popularity rating for politicians. This year, the most expensive variety of fruit was named after American President Barack Obama, and the cheapest - Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, a UKRINFORM correspondent reports, citing local media.
Obama dates can be bought at the Cairo market for 48 Egyptian pounds (about 7.5 US dollars). The Egyptians praised the American leader so highly for his address to the Muslim world, delivered at Cairo University. The Ahmadinejad variety is slightly cheaper - 28 Egyptian pounds (5 US dollars) per kilogram. The cheapest variety this year was the Lieberman variety, named after the head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry. In this original way, he was retaliated against for threats against Arab countries and unflattering statements about Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Such dates can be bought for almost nothing - for only 3 Egyptian pounds (0.5 US dollars).
Last year, Egyptian traders also paid attention to US President George W. Bush, naming the cheapest variety of dates after him. In this way, they took revenge on the then head of the White House for the tragedies in Iraq and Palestine.
According to established tradition, Egyptian date traders “stir up” interest in their products by giving their products the names of politicians. The most expensive varieties are named after the most popular political figures, actors, and pop artists in the Arab world. Conversely, the names of figures whom public opinion in Arab countries dislike become names for the cheapest varieties.
"In the shade of a date palm." Zohar Argov sings
Arecaceae (palm) family. Trees or squat bushes with pinnately divided leaves. Plants are dioecious. The calyx is goblet-shaped, there are 3 petals, in male flowers there are 6 stamens, in female flowers there are 6 staminodes and 3 free pistils, of which, for the most part, only one produces a berry fruit with one seed; on the inside of the seed there is a deep groove, in the middle of which there is an embryo; horny protein.
11 species in Africa, Arabia, Asia from the Euphrates through India to the Sunda Islands and Cochin China. The real date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a tree with a trunk of 10-20 meters. Its homeland is the Canary Islands, oases of the Sahara, Arabia and southwestern Asia. The fruits of the date palm - dates - are common as fruits and dried fruits. To achieve more successful fruiting, the Arabs already in ancient times hung cut male cobs on female trees and thereby promoted pollination and fertilization. There are 3 common types of indoors:
Date canarian Phoenix canariensis- the trunk reaches a height of up to 10-15 m, the fronds are pinnate, up to 3-5 m long, with narrow bluish-green leaves. The petioles are covered with strong spines. The room will eventually reach the ceiling.
Date palmate Phoenix dactylifera- the trunk reaches a height of 15-30 m, the trunk becomes bare over the years, the fronds are pinnate up to 2-6 m long, the leaves are curved and green. The room will eventually reach the ceiling.
Date Robelena Phoenix roebelenii- this species is most suitable for growing indoors, has one or several trunks up to 1.5 - 2 m high, a dense crown, dark green, bent leaves. This type requires more high temperature content and high air humidity.
Temperature: Moderate, winter temperature for the Canarian and palmate dates is 8-16°C, for the Robelena date 15-20°C.
Lighting: Very bright place, direct sun is beneficial. For uniform development of the crown, the date is periodically turned with different sides towards the light, while the top of the latter young leaf should be directed deep into the room, and not towards the window. In summer, if possible, the date palm is taken out into the garden, choosing a place protected from the wind.
Watering: Watering should be uniform, abundant in summer, moderate in winter. If the plant is overdried, the leaves droop and no longer regain their shape; if this happens, you will have to tie the petioles of the leaves to a support. In addition, when the soil dries out, spots appear on the leaves of the date.
Fertilizer irrigation must be carried out weekly from April to September, because... The date uses up nutrients very quickly during the growth period. With a lack of nutrients, plant growth slows down and leaves turn yellow.
Humidity: Date loves regular, preferably twice a day, spraying, and it is also useful to have a shower from time to time. Optimal air humidity is 40-50%.
Transfer: Replant only when the roots fill the entire pot or tub and begin to crawl out of the container - after 3-4 years. When replanting, part of the roots forming the felt layer is cut off with a sharp knife so that the plant fits in the new pot. Drainage in the pot should be very good. Soil - 2 parts light clay-turf, 2 parts humus-leaf, 1 part peat, 1 part rotted manure, 1 part sand and a little charcoal.
Reproduction: By seeds, but quite difficult - at a temperature not lower than 25°C, sown in February-March. Seeds germinate within 2-3 months, in addition, it takes quite a long time for a palm to develop from a seedling.
Palm family
The history of the date palm is inextricably linked with the Arabian Peninsula, ancient Mesopotamia and North Africa. And the beginning of this story is lost in the darkness of centuries, even millennia... They say that local residents prepare wonderful drinks from the juice obtained from the palm trunk. I don’t know, I don’t know - this, as they say, is not for everyone. But the dates themselves - that is, the fruits of the date palm, you must agree, taste incomparable. And how useful too!
Date, more correctly - date palm(Phoenix dactylifera L.), Palm family (Arecaceae, Palmae) is one of twelve representatives of the genus Phoenix, which contains exclusively dioecious plants. It usually has one straight slender trunk up to 20-30 m high and up to 80 cm in diameter, feathery leaves up to six meters long, in quantities from 40 to 80 on an adult plant. At the base of the trunk shoots often develop, used for vegetative propagation.
Numerous flowers (sometimes their number on one palm tree reaches two thousand) are collected in complex inflorescences, surrounded by a veil. The fruit (up to 7 cm long and 3 cm in diameter) is a berry-shaped cylindrical drupe with a fleshy pericarp and cutinized skin that has an amber, reddish or darker color.
Wood is used as building material, leaves - for weaving various products, covering roofs. The date palm is unknown in its wild state; its ancestor is considered to be the forest date (Phoenix silvestris Roxb.) from Eastern India; Another hypothesis is less likely - the origin of the date palm from the African species Phoenix reclinata Jacq.
The date palm is remarkable for its high heat tolerance and salt tolerance. And at the same time, for its successful growth it is extremely important next condition: shallow groundwater. If this condition is “observed” by nature: in a number of areas of the hot deserts of Africa and Asia, oases arise where the date palm is the main (dominant) plant that can tolerate prolonged heat.
As a result of the shading it creates, on land scorched by the scorching rays of the sun, it becomes possible to grow cereals (which, of course, love the sun - but to certain limits), vegetables, olives, grapes... Thus, a center of a kind of oasis agriculture arises - a date palm and a person, one might say , have long walked hand in hand in these desert southern latitudes. The life of the peoples inhabiting the deserts from the Indus in the east, through the Arabian Desert and the Sahara to the Atlantic Ocean, in the past was entirely (and even today to a large extent) connected with this palm tree.
The date palm is a typical plant of dry subtropics (it’s hard to call it a weed - and its growth is not that fast), producing edible, tasty fruits. The date palm can be up to a hundred years old. Its growth, by the way, occurs exclusively at night - the working day of the palm tree is entirely occupied by photosynthesis.
In the last century, the date palm was grown in the southwestern part of Turkmenistan (Kzyl-Atrek). Its homeland, apparently, is Southern Iran, the southern regions of ancient Mesopotamia. And the emergence of the culture of this wonderful plant is associated with the ancient inhabitants of this Asian region - the Assyrians, Babylonians, ancient Sumerians (Sumerians), whose states succeeded each other over the past five millennia...
From Mesopotamia, the date palm penetrated into Arabia and Egypt, long before the onset of the Christian era. Naturally, over thousands of years, many (about 5000) varieties have emerged, divided into three main groups - “dry”, “semi-dry” (which resembles Soviet champagne, but only in name) and “soft”.
“Soft” are consumed locally fresh, in a ripe state; the fruits of these varieties contain little sugar. “Dry” dates, dried in the sun, contain much more sugar and can be stored for a very long time, one might say, for years. As for the “semi-dry” ones, these are intended for export; they are also dried in the sun. After which they are packed into boxes and sent “to the distant northern countries,” that is, to you and me.
Everyone knows that dried dates taste good. But taste is taste, and nutritional value is no less important, and with this, dates, you see, have everything in order. in perfect order: Ready-to-eat fruits contain 60 to 70% sugar, about 2% fatty oil and almost 3% protein, which together makes the date palm the most important cultivated plant in many regions. And dates, accordingly, are the most important food product in a number of countries (especially hot countries, most of whose territory is deserts and semi-deserts), constituting the main diet of the population of oases - both people and animals.
Among other things, local residents make full use of other parts of the palm tree, not just dates: from the fiber of leaf petioles, mixing plant raw materials with animals (camel hair), they still make clothes (or, more precisely, fabrics for clothing), caravan tents , tents; the fiber obtained from the leaves is also used to make baskets, ropes, and ship rigging (and the ships of Arab traders, as is known, plied the oceans long before Europeans entered the Indian Ocean). Naturally, date palm wood was also used - primarily as an affordable building material.
Today, huge areas are occupied by the date palm (the main part of which, of course, is in North Africa) - about half a million hectares! In the territories where ancient Mesopotamia existed, that is, in modern Iraq, there are about twenty million of these plants! By the way, almost the entire harvest of Iraqi dates was previously exported and was considered almost as important a source of state income as the notorious “black gold” - oil.
In the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, in a very limited area (less than 900 hectares), the date palm has been cultivated since the rule of the Saracen Arabs. Here is the only place in Europe where it bears fruit; in other southern European regions, date palms growing outdoors practically do not bear fruit, performing only a decorative function: in Italy and other countries of southern Europe they are grown for beauty.
But the date palm bears fruit well in Arizona and California, the hottest states where it was brought in the eighteenth century, and where since 1890 it has received, so to speak, industrial significance and official recognition.
The fruits of the date palm are a good general tonic, and are useful not only for convalescent patients (you just need to remember that dates are contraindicated for diabetes!), along with other high-calorie products, but, of course, they are almost irreplaceable on long expeditions, when the weight of the cargo carried is limited, and the heat does not make it possible to take perishable foods with you.
And one last thing. From the forest date, or “wild nut” (the supposed ancient ancestor of the date palm), in the Indian state of Madras, a sweet juice is obtained, which yields sugar when boiled; By fermenting the juice, Indians enjoy an alcoholic drink locally called arak. The juice is extracted by making cuts (1 cm deep and 6-7 cm wide) in the upper part of the trunk; At the same time, the crown is thinned out and some of the leaves are removed. But this simple technique is unlikely to be useful to you and me!
which in many countries is credited with the properties of strengthening human health and prolonging life.
About the palm tree Dates Phoenix dactylifera known from the 7th millennium BC in Sumer, Assyria and Ancient Egypt. Its trunks are straight, up to 15–20 m high, 80 cm in diameter, and form shoots at the base.
Leaves are 4–6 m long. Fruits – Dates, oblong or oval, up to 7.5 cm long and 3.5 cm in diameter, contain a large amount of nutrients and have long been known for their healing properties.
Dates are the fruit of the date palm
From ancient times Legends have come down to us about the tree of life, symbolizing immortality and renewal. This symbol has a very real prototype. For the peoples of the Middle East and Arabia, the living embodiment of the “cosmic” tree was
The fruits of this plant, according to the ideas of the ancient inhabitants of Western Asia, were eaten by the gods and the first people. The date palm signified fertility and prosperity.
Date palm has been familiar to people for so long that now no one remembers which people, where and when they first used it as an agricultural crop. Its wild ancestor is also unknown to science.
Scientists believe that agriculture began with gardening. The date palm became one of the first garden trees.
Unknown peoples learned to fence wild palm groves, care for young trees, and protect them from being eaten by animals. Ancient gardeners, through trial and error, came up with artificial pollination, which helped to get a good harvest.
Unripe dates colored bright red or yellow, depending on the variety. As a rule, they remain on the tree to dry
Date palms live 150-200 years and bear fruit every year, starting from about 7-10 years of age, but a full harvest can only be obtained several years after the first fruiting.
The palm tree is capable of bearing fruit until a very old age, but upon reaching 60-70 years becomes too high for pollination and harvesting.
Palm trees grow quickly - by 35-50 cm per year, and by 15-17 years they reach a height of 6-7 meters. The average height of these trees is 12–32 meters. Their trunk is almost straight and "shaggy" from the bases of fallen leaves. The top is crowned with a rosette of 13-15 feathery leaves, which can reach a length of five meters.
Long, panicle-like inflorescences emerge from the leaf axils. Moreover, on one tree they can only be of one sex. The flowers are fleshy, fragrant: female - white, men's - creamy, waxy. On one palm tree can bloom from 6 to 10 thousand flowers.
Most often it is planted in oases where the groundwater level is relatively low. The Arabs say: the queen of oases, the palm tree, has her head bathed in the fire of the sun's rays, and her feet in the water of underground springs.
Date palm It is drought-resistant and grows in saline soils; it tolerates floods well.
When the fruits begin to ripen, the inflorescences bend under their weight. Ripe dates are oblong berries of yellowish-brown or reddish-chestnut color, 2–7 cm long, with sweet, nutritious pulp, which contains a hard seed with a longitudinal groove on the side.
For them to ripen, it is necessary that the air temperature reaches 35-40C.
Dates are easily absorbed by the body and in their nutritional properties are superior not only to other fruits, but also to cereals. And according to taste qualities they belong to the highest class dessert fruits.
What is so valuable about date palm fruits?
Firstly, a large amount of natural, easily digestible sugar (fructose, glucose, sucrose), which serves as an excellent source of energy for the human body.
Secondly, 23 types of amino acids that are not found in apples, oranges and bananas.
Thirdly, healthy vegetable fats, pectin and fiber. And, in addition, many microelements and vitamins.
Nutritionists say that one date and a glass of milk can provide the minimum necessary human need for nutrients. The 23 types of amino acids found in dates are not found in most other fruits.
Dried date fruits contain 60-65% sugar- the highest percentage compared to all other fruits. And this is mainly glucose and fructose, the consumption of which does not have negative consequences for the human body in comparison with sucrose. They are very quickly absorbed by the body, fructose relieves nervous tension.
Since ancient times, the fruits of the date palm have been known for their healing properties. .
Dates - bunches of fruits on a palm tree
It was believed that date palm fruits give strength, endurance, increase life expectancy, enhance male sexual potency.
They strengthen the heart, liver and kidneys, promote the development of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, maintain the acid balance of the body and nourish the blood, promote the development of the root endings of the brain, and enhance the body’s ability to resist various infections, including viral ones.
Dates also useful for anemia and hypertension, for the chest and lungs, soothes coughs and promotes the removal of phlegm, and is extremely useful for brain activity.
The dietary fiber contained in dates reduces the risk of cancer.
Dates were widely used to combat various oncological diseases, tuberculosis, all kinds of tumors, infectious and other diseases.
It is believed that dried dates have a beneficial effect on the brain, increasing its performance by 20% or more.
Dates extremely useful for brain activity, as they consist of 2.2% proteins and also contain vitamins A, B1 and B2.
Proteins strengthen the body's immunity to diseases and infections.
Vitamin A strengthens eye muscles, bone tissue and teeth.
Vitamin B1 has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
Vitamin B2 Helps burn proteins, carbohydrates and fats, thereby providing energy for the body and cell renewal.
Iron, contained in large quantities in dates, controls the synthesis of hemoglobin in red blood cells, which ensures the proper amount of vital blood cells - red blood cells, prevents the development of anemia and ensures normal development fetus in the womb.
In the fruits of date palms contains a lot of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, mineral salts, vitamins A and B, essential amino acids, protein, etc.
Date palm - always abundant fruiting
Scientists believe that 10 dates a day enough to meet a person’s daily need for magnesium, copper, sulfur, half the need for iron, and a quarter of the need for calcium.
Dates are especially useful women during pregnancy, during childbirth and while breastfeeding. They facilitate childbirth and promote the start of milk production by the female body.
Calorie content: on average, one date contains 23 calories. Due to the fact that dates low in calories and contain a huge amount of useful substances, they are recommended to be consumed instead of sweets for everyone who is on a diet or is simply trying to maintain your weight is normal.
Like most plant foods, Dates do not contain cholesterol.
However, dates should not be overused due to their high sugar content, which destroys tooth enamel. In addition, in some cases, dates cause migraines.
Dates contain 60-65% carbohydrates - the highest percentage compared to other fruits, as well as copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, manganese, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, aluminum, cadmium, cobalt, sulfur, boron, protein, oil .
Vitamins A, A1, C, B1, B2, B6, niacin, riboflamin, as well as pantothenic acid, which promote the digestibility of carbohydrates, regulate blood glucose levels and the content of fatty acids.
Pectin, a dietary fiber that reduces the risk of certain cancers. Fluoride, which protects teeth from caries. Selenium, which reduces the risk of cancer, strengthens immune system and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Due to high potassium content Doctors recommend eating dates for cardiovascular diseases.
In case of heart failure, dates stimulate the activity of the heart, serve as a tonic and strengthening agent, and restore strength after a long illness.
Dates help with paralysis of the facial nerve, with overwork and physical fatigue, for diabetes mellituse . A decoction of dates and rice helps with dystrophy.
Dates also contain about sixty percent sugar, which is much higher than the amount in other fruits. What is most important is that it contains mainly fructose and glucose, which are completely safe for the body and make dates akin to honey.
According to its nutritional, dietary and medicinal properties Dates are considered to be cereals.
Date palm fruit useful for adults, children, pregnant women.
Fresh dates are added to many dishes - fruit salads, buns, homemade cookies, pies and cakes.
Dates are used to produce date honey, sugar, and alcoholic date juice, and palm flour is produced from the heartwood of the tree. Fresh dates keep well in the refrigerator.
Date sugar is much healthier for the body than cane or beet sugar.
Putting dried dates in hot milk for a while improves their taste, and when filled with butter, nuts, almonds or thick cream, the content of protein and proteins required by the human body increases.
The Arabs make a paste from dates that can be stored all year round.
Date fruits are also used to prepare compotes, muesli, jelly and all kinds of confectionery products; they are an excellent dessert.
They can be turned into flour to produce something like honey.
After fermentation, they produce a pleasant drink. Dates are very beneficial for digestion, they have a cleansing effect on the digestive system.
Since sun-dried dates have a sticky surface and can become contaminated with contaminants and bacteria, they should not be left in the open air for long periods of time. They must be washed before use.