Phoenix reclinata

Phoenix reclinata (reclinata - Latin, reclining), the wild date palm or Senegal date palm, is a species of flowering plant in the palm family native to tropical Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Madagascar. It is introduced in Florida, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago, the Leeward Islands, Tunisia and Vietnam. The plants are found from sea level to 3000 m, in rain forest clearings, monsoonal forests and rocky mountainsides.

Description

A palm. It can be a stemless suckering bush or have a ring of suckers around the base. It often grows 3-6 m high but can be 10-25 m high. It can also be a many stemmed clump. The old stems hang over then curve upwards near the end. The trunk can be 30 cm across. The leaves are long and hang over. They are feather-shaped and 3-4 m long. There are up to 50 leaflets on each side of the leaf stalk and these are narrow and pointed. The lowermost leaflets are reduced to spines. The flowers are of separate sexes on separate trees. The male and female flowers are borne in long bunches. They are small and cream coloured. The male flowers are cup-shaped and the female flowers are round. The female flowers produce yellow fruit. The fruit are oval and 1-1.5 cm long. The flesh is edible when ripe.

Edible Uses

The fruit is eaten raw or cooked and is much relished by local peoples. It can also be used to make wine. The roasted seed serves as a coffee substitute.

Traditional Uses

The sap of the fruit stalk is tapped to make an alcoholic drink. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. The fruit can be eaten when ripe. The green fruit are immersed in water for a few hours and they then become bright red and their pulp becomes sweet and edible. The end leaf bud is eaten as a vegetable. The seeds are used as a coffee substitute. The seed kernel is used in cereal based preparations.

Medicinal Uses

No medicinal uses are known for this plant.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It suits damp spots in tropical and warm places. It grows in the lowlands and the highlands. They are often along river banks in low-lying open grassland. It can adapt to a wide range of conditions. In Madagascar it grows from sea level to 3300 m altitude. In Kenya it grows from sea level to 2,600 m altitude. It is salt tolerant. It can grow in arid places. In Melbourne Botanical Gardens. It suits plant hardiness zones 9-11. In Townsville palmetum.

Where It Grows

Africa*, Angola, Asia, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mayotte, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal*, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Requires a light moist but very well-drained soil in a sheltered position in full sun. Succeeds in dry soils and is also tolerant of poor soils. Plants are tolerant of light shade, though they will not fruit when growing in such a position. Capable of withstanding light frosts, this plant is worth trying outdoors in the very mildest parts of Britain. Although certainly not hardy when young, this palm is unusually hardy when mature. 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.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse; otherwise sow as soon as it is obtained. Germination usually takes two to three months. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter, then plant out in late spring or early summer after the last frosts, with some cold protection during at least the first winter outdoors. Suckers can also be divided.

Other Uses

No other uses are known for this plant.

Production

Growth of seedlings in fast. The sap flow increases to the flower stalk just before flowering. This can be tapped. The ripening clusters of fruit can be harvested by cutting. The fruit weigh 0.4 g.

Other Information

The fruit are eaten especially by children. It is a commonly used food in West Africa.

Notes

There are 17 Phoenix species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Barn-o, Bedjaca, Belin, Buadia, Chinzu, Co-rosso, Coffee palm, Corossedjambo, Deye, Dikindu, Dinsongo, Domaa, Ekingol, Esasa, Feather palm, Idama, Intsanti, Isundu, Kandjedza, Kanjedza, Kindu, Lilala, Lisundvu, Lukindu, Lusundvu, M'jacai, Makindu, Mandjaca, Mchindu, Medjaca, Meeti, Meexii, Millan, Mkindu, Moxinxa-mokulane, Msundu, Muchindu, Muchindwe, Muchingwi, Mukpetida, Mutshema, Mutshevho, Ntshindo, Olpiroo, Ol-tukai, Omukindo, Omuvare, Otit, Palem korma afrika, Quindo, Saraba, Senel, Serque, Sundu, Tchinzo, Thikerva, Tit, Umukiindo, Wild date palm, Wola, Yebo, Zamba, Zembaba

References (114)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 41
• Acipa, A. et al, 2013, Nutritional Profile of some Selected Food Plants of Otwal and Ngai Counties, Oyam District, Northern Uganda. African Journal or Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. 13(2)
• Addis, G., et al, 2005, Ethnobotanical Study of Edible Wild Plants in Some Selected Districts of Ethiopia. Human Ecology, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 83-118
• Agea, J. G., et al 2011, Wild and Semi-wild Food Plants of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom of Uganda: etc. Environmental Research Journal 5(2) 74-86
• Allen, D. J., 2007, Wildflowers and Common Trees of East Africa. Camerapix Publishers p 146

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