Date Palms

Palm trees are grown all over UAE as ornamental plants. Most of these are of the date palm variety, which bear edible sweet fruits known as dates. Dates are an important traditional crop in the Middle East. They are traditionally served with yoghurt, and milk, or used as accompaniment snack with coffee or tea.

This time of the year most of these trees are flaunting their bunches of fruits, at least the ones I see that are used as ornamental plants. I am not sure if these bunches of fruits are left on the tree to ripen or are harvested prior to ripening. I have seen dates that are green, yellow, red, and many shades in between. These are due to the different varieties, as well as different stages of ripening. Some of the palm trees are fairly short in stature. I have been tempted to harvest just one "bunch" and dry the dates on my balcony.