Common Name | Medjool Date Palm
Binomial Name | Phoenix Dactylifera
Type | Deciduous
Zone | 8 - 10
Size | In ground 69-75ft
Lighting | Full NM Sun
Soil Type | Well draining, sand, loam, even clay. Well watered while flowering & fruiting, dry while not
Soil PH | 8 - 11
Seeding, Flowering, Fruiting
Growth RateSlow | 12"-18" a year
Pollinator | Yes; wind, bees, other insects
Description
An elegant palm with an arching canopy of silvery blue-green fronds, the Medjool date palm (Phoenix dacytlifera 'Medjool') is particularly tolerant of warm climates with higher humidity. It is a large-growing palm that needs full sun, fertile but well-draining soils and winters that do not get too cold and wet, Central to Northern New Mexico you will need to bring them in for the winter. Date palms bear a branching flowering structure in the warm of spring and summer that are pollinated by insects and wind, leading to the formation of the renowned fruits. The sweet dates become a bi-colored blend of golden yellow and orange-red when ripe for picking.
NM Care
Plant in well draining soil. (We use Soilutions Super soil mixed with local sand & lava rock) After planting in pot or ground, continue to water the root ball of the newly transplanted palm for the first growing season. Soil should remain slightly dry to moist, never bone dry or soggy wet. In winter, reduce watering so that the soil is slightly drier than the watering regime you did in the growing season. In general, cold winters with wet soil conditions are not favorable for date palm survival, again Central to Northern New Mexico you will need to bring them in for the winter, Alamogordo and below you should be fine.
Remove palm fronds only when then turn brown and dry. Premature cutting of healthy green fronds robs the palm of food and can lead to poorer health, increased susceptibility to pests or diseases and can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Yellowing fronds are good to retain since the nutrients are drained from the dying fronds and used elsewhere in the plant.
Warning
The lowermost portion of the Medjool date palm's fronds are lined with thin, vicious spines. Use thick gloves when pruning or working around the data palm's canopy of leaves. Date palms grow large and are massive and heavy when mature.