Palm tree date, date, Almaty, Kazakhstan

DATE PALMA (Phoenix dactylifera), the tree of family of palm trees which is widely divorced in hot droughty areas for the sake of edible fruits. On economic value concedes in the family only to a coconut palm tree. As the homeland of a date palm tree consider North Africa and Arabia where it is grown up by 4000 years. Images of this look are found on Ancient Egyptian monuments. Herodotus, Teofrast, Strabon and Pliny wrote about what date palm trees grow up from Babylonia to the Canary Islands. Height of this tree of 12-30 m, trunk almost direct, "shaggy". The top is topped with the socket of plumose leaves with leaflets up to 45 cm long. Bosoms of leaves leave long panicled inflorescences, and on one tree they only man's or only female (a plant dvudomny). Fruits (dates) - oblong berries, 2-7 cm long, with the sweet nutritious pulp surrounding a firm seed with a longitudinal furrow.

Though not maximum, for one date palm tree the annual yield of 45-90 kg of fruits is considered. Trees age of 10-15 years begin to give it, and their operation can continue as early as years 100-200. In some areas of North Africa and the Western Asia dates belong to the main food, and export them in a dry or dried look makes important article of the income. Now date palm trees part not only in the homeland. Spaniards introduced them into the New World; commercial plantations in the USA are dated for the southwest of the country.