Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera

In structure, the date palm is unique among Middle Eastern trees. The single tall, unbranched trunk with immense leaves often over 2 meters (6 feet) long makes a striking figure, especially when in adesert with little other vegetation. Not only is the date palm beautiful but it is the basis of existence in desert regions, providing construction material with leaves for thatching, logs for construction (although the trunk is of little value as sawn timber), and shade. In short, it is an icon of desert civilization, one of the reasons it is the most frequently mentioned plant in the Quran.

The imagery of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is used in both the Old and New Testaments. This tree is also the basis for geographic names of sites with groves of palm trees. For example, Jericho is referred to as the “city of palm trees” (Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16, 3:13; 2 Chronicles 28:15), no doubt because of the oases there as well as the distinct climate – hot and dry. Elim (Exodus 15:27), one of the first stops after the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, was characterized by 70 palm trees.