Phoenix sylvestris
(L.) Roxb.
Arecaceae
Elate sylvestris L.
Elate versicolor Salisb.
Common Name: Wild Date Plum
General Information
Phoenix sylvestris is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree producing a hemispherical crown of more than 50 leaves at the top of an unbranched stem. The stem is usually 10 - 15 metres tall, occasionally reaching 20 metres, and is 20 - 30cm in diameter (excluding leaf sheaths). The gently recurved leaves can be are around 1.5 - 4 metres long on a stem up to 1 metre long, and are spiny near their base[
372- Title
- Flowers of India
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.flowersofindia.net/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
,
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. Typically, the plant has a swollen base with a mass of roots, and retains the leaf bases on the trunk[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
,
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The plant is sometimes of considerable local economic importance, particularly as a source of sugar, and is sometimes cultivated for this purtpose[
287- Title
- Flora of Pakistan
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.efloras.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- As of 2006, there is not much information on habitats available, but it is being developed and promises to be an excellent resource.
,
]. An ornamental plant, it is often grown in gardens and along the sides of roads[
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
Range
E. Asia - Himalayas and plains, from Pakistan and western India to Nepal and Myanmar.
Habitat
Low-lying wasteland, open forest, grassland, along river banks and in areas that have been disturbed or are prone to periodic inundation, causing water-logging[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
,
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. It can be found in open tropical rainforest, open forest and grassland[
].
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Evergreen Tree |
Height | 15.00 m |
Growth Rate | Fast |
Self-fertile | No |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the drier to moist tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 25 - 35°c, but can tolerate 20 - 40°c[
]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -9°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -1°c[
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 400 - 700mm, but tolerates 250 - 1,000mm[
].
Requires an open sunny position[
231- Title
- Palms for Cooler Climates.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McMillan-Browse. P.
- Publisher
- Trebah Enterprises.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0 9521952 0 8
- Description
- An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
]. Plants grow well in full sun, even when small[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
]. Requires a well-drained soil[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
]. It can grow in a wide range of soil types but prefers sandy well drained but moist soils[
]. It will not survive in wet or badly drained soils[
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7.5, tolerating 5 - 8[
]. Plants can tolerate at least some maritime exposure with salt spray and somewhat saline soil conditions[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
]. Established plants are drought tolerant[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
A fast-growing plant[
].
Phoenix species are quite liable to hybridize where the various species meet as a result of cultivation[
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Edible Uses
Fruit. A sweet flavour[
]. Sometimes eaten[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Of a very inferior character[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
387- Title
- Economic Products of India. Volume 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Watt. G.
- Publisher
- Government of India: Calcutta.
- Year
- 1883
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although over 100 years old, it still contains a wealth of information on useful plants. Many of the botanical names have been changed since then, so you have to check for up to date names. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Sap - it can be concentrated into a syrup or fermented into alcohol[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. One of the main sources of sugar in Bengal[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
]. The sap is obtained from the unopened inflorescence[
171- Title
- Economic Botany.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hill. A. F.
- Publisher
- The Maple Press
- Year
- 1952
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some detail about the plants it does cover.
]. The tip of this is cut off and the sap then flows from this cut. The flow can be up to 5 litres a day for several months, it contains about 14% sugar[
171- Title
- Economic Botany.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hill. A. F.
- Publisher
- The Maple Press
- Year
- 1952
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some detail about the plants it does cover.
]. See also [
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
The pith of the stem is sometimes harvested and made into a kind of sago[
].
Medicinal
The fruit is useful in the treatment of heart complaints, abdominal complaints, fevers, vomiting and loss of consciousness[
].
The fruit pounded and mixed with almonds, quince seeds, pistachio nuts and sugar, forms a restorative remedy[
].
A paste made from the seed, combined with the root of Achyranthes aspera, is chewed with betel leaves (Areca catechu) as a remedy for ague[
387- Title
- Economic Products of India. Volume 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Watt. G.
- Publisher
- Government of India: Calcutta.
- Year
- 1883
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although over 100 years old, it still contains a wealth of information on useful plants. Many of the botanical names have been changed since then, so you have to check for up to date names. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The juice obtained from the tree is considered to be a cooling beverage[
387- Title
- Economic Products of India. Volume 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Watt. G.
- Publisher
- Government of India: Calcutta.
- Year
- 1883
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although over 100 years old, it still contains a wealth of information on useful plants. Many of the botanical names have been changed since then, so you have to check for up to date names. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
].
The roots are used to stop toothache[
].
The central tender part of the plant is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[
].
Other Uses
The fibrous leaves are used in weaving for making bags, baskets, brooms, fans, mats etc[
287- Title
- Flora of Pakistan
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.efloras.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- As of 2006, there is not much information on habitats available, but it is being developed and promises to be an excellent resource.
,
,
387- Title
- Economic Products of India. Volume 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Watt. G.
- Publisher
- Government of India: Calcutta.
- Year
- 1883
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although over 100 years old, it still contains a wealth of information on useful plants. Many of the botanical names have been changed since then, so you have to check for up to date names. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The fibre obtained from the leaves is plentiful, soft, bleaches well, and is admirably adapted for paper-making[
387- Title
- Economic Products of India. Volume 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Watt. G.
- Publisher
- Government of India: Calcutta.
- Year
- 1883
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although over 100 years old, it still contains a wealth of information on useful plants. Many of the botanical names have been changed since then, so you have to check for up to date names. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The fibrous leaf petioles are beaten and twisted into ropes which are traditionally used for drawing water from wells[
387- Title
- Economic Products of India. Volume 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Watt. G.
- Publisher
- Government of India: Calcutta.
- Year
- 1883
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although over 100 years old, it still contains a wealth of information on useful plants. Many of the botanical names have been changed since then, so you have to check for up to date names. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The stems are used for thatching when making local houses[
].
Propagation
Seed - probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in containers, otherwise sow the seed as soon as you obtain it. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 months.
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